Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman each hit two home runs and the visiting Baltimore Orioles trounced the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 on Thursday afternoon in the season opener for both teams.
Mullins was 3-for-5, including a three-run homer and five RBIs as Baltimore outhit Toronto 14-4.
Tyler O’Neill also smashed a three-run blast in going 3-for-3 with two walks and Jordan Westburg added a solo homer for the Orioles to begin the four-game series.
The six home runs were an Orioles’ record for Opening Day.
O’Neill has homered on Opening Day a record six consecutive seasons. He also threw out a runner trying for a double in the ninth.
Orioles starter Zach Eflin (1-0) gave up two runs and two hits in six innings, allowing Andres Gimenez’s two-run homer.
Toronto starter Jose Berrios (0-1) was falling behind in the count early in his third Opening Day start for Toronto. It hurt him when Rutschman hit a 2-1 changeup to right center for a home run with one out in the first.
A leadoff walk to O’Neill in the second led to another Orioles run. He took third on Ryan Mountcastle’s double to left and scored when Mullins beat out an infield single on a high chopper to first.
A leadoff walk to Colton Cowser led to a three-run Orioles third. Rutschman singled and, with two out, O’Neill drilled a homer to right on a 2-1 sinker.
Mullins hit the first pitch of the fourth inning for a homer to right center to make it 6-0.
Toronto’s first hit was Gimenez’s homer into the Baltimore bullpen in right field with two out in the home fourth. It scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who had walked.
Berrios completed five innings, allowing six runs, nine hits and two walks.
Alan Roden led off the Toronto sixth by bouncing a single up the middle for his first major-league hit. He also had a walk.
Baltimore took a 9-2 lead in the seventh. Jacob Barnes allowed a walk and a single. Chad Green took over with two out and allowed Mullins’ homer, a blast to right center.
Yariel Rodriguez allowed Rutschman’s two-run homer and Westburg’s solo shot in the eighth that brought loud boos from the Toronto fans.
Former Oriole Anthony Santander was 0-for-4 in his first game for the Blue Jays.
