Orioles 4, Rays 1
Jeremy Guthrie outdueled David Price and Brian Roberts tripled in two runs as the Baltimore Orioles opened their 2011 campaign with a 4-1 victory over the host Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.
Nick Markakis added two RBIs and J.J. Hardy scored a pair of runs for the Orioles, who picked up right where they left off after closing 2010 with a .596 winning percentage over the last 57 games.
Guthrie (1-0), the lone veteran remaining on Baltimore’s staff, allowed three hits and struck out six in eight innings. The right-hander allowed only two batters to reach second base.
The Orioles got to Price (0-1) in the third when Markakis reached him for an RBI single. They added some insurance with three runs in the fifth when Roberts drove a two-run triple into the gap in left-center and scored on Markakis’ sacrifice fly.
Price allowed five hits and struck out seven in seven innings.
Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for Baltimore and allowed a solo home run to Ben Zobrist before retiring the next three batters.
Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez went a combined 0 for 8 in their Rays' debuts.