AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Orioles Open Stadium in Style, Win, 2-0

An old-fashioned ballpark opened with old-fashioned baseball.

The Baltimore Orioles moved into their new stadium in style Monday, beating the Cleveland Indians, 2-0, with bunting, baserunning and brilliant pitching by Rick Sutcliffe.

A crowd of 44,568, including President Bush, showed up at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and saw Baltimore win its stadium opener.

Camden Yards, with its modern-day amenities and an old-time flavor, was the focus of the day, rather than the team. But Sutcliffe gave the fans more to look at than the city skyline beyond center field; the bricked, 94-year-old warehouse beyond right and the 25-foot scoreboard built into the right-field wall.

“This Camden Yards, it is beautiful,” Bush said. “It was great, it was a great day and a wonderful, friendly crowd and a magnificent tribute to Baltimore.”

Bush began the day by throwing the ceremonial first pitch in the dirt, then went on television and radio to call some of the action. Sutcliffe, making his Oriole debut, provided a lot to talk about, pitching a five-hitter for his first shutout since 1989.

Even the time of the game was out of yesteryear: a brisk 2 hours 2 minutes.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a new ballpark or an old ballpark, it’s exciting,” Oriole Manager Johnny Oates said after winning his first opening-day game. “It’s certainly a step in the right direction.”

Sutcliffe, signed as a free agent, struck out six and walked one in his 17th shutout and first complete game since 1989. Sutcliffe, who at 35 was the oldest pitcher to start an Oriole opener, allowed only two runners as far as second base in his first American League game since 1984, when he was traded from Cleveland to the Chicago Cubs.

Sutcliffe did it on an empty stomach. He was still a bit queasy from a tainted submarine sandwich he had eaten on Saturday afternoon. He said he was sick for much of Sunday and slept 15 1/2 hours until 8 a.m. Monday.

“I’d like to celebrate with a (beer), but I’m afraid it would come back up,” Sutcliffe said. “I haven’t had anything to eat since Saturday, so I’d better stick to Gatorade.”

Cleveland starter Charles Nagy didn’t allow a runner past first base until the fifth inning, when Baltimore scored its runs. After Sam Horn walked and took second on a one-out single by Leo Gomez, Chris Hoiles drove in a run with a ground-rule double over the center-field wall. Billy Ripken then executed a perfect suicide squeeze to score Gomez.

“To drive in the first run in the new stadium means something to me,” Hoiles said. “To drive in a run like that means a lot anyway, but especially in a new stadium.”

Oakland 5, Kansas City 3--Mike Bordick’s two-run, bases-loaded single capped a three-run eighth inning that carried the Athletics in their opener at home.

Trailing 3-2, the A’s loaded the bases and tied the score on Carney Lansford’s infield single off reliever Jeff Montgomery that shortstop David Howard knocked down. Bordick lined the next pitch up the middle, scoring Mark McGwire and Terry Steinbach for the deciding runs.

The Royals had taken the lead in the top of the eighth when Wally Joyner singled home Terry Shumpert after two were out.

Rick Honeycutt was the winner, his 100th victory, despite giving up the tying run in the eighth. Dennis Eckersley pitched the ninth for the save, allowing three hits.

Toronto 4, Detroit 2--Sooner or later, Jack Morris was bound to give up a run. But he still made his debut for the Blue Jays a winning one, pitching a five-hitter at Detroit.

Morris finished last season with one of the most memorable shutouts in World Series history: a 10-inning, seven-hitter that gave Minnesota a 1-0 victory over Atlanta. And he started this season with eight more scoreless innings.

But then Cecil Fielder and Rob Deer homered in the ninth inning.

Morris, who became a free agent soon after the Series and signed with Toronto for $10.85 million for two years, struck out seven, walked three and was in trouble only once before the ninth. He made his record 13th consecutive opening-day start--breaking a tie with Tom Seaver and Robin Roberts--and pitched his sixth season-starting complete game.

Pat Borders hit a two-run homer and John Olerud also connected off 20-game winner Bill Gullickson. Dave Winfield, also playing his first game for Toronto, went three for four, and drove in 1992’s first run with a first-inning single.

Minnesota 4, Milwaukee 2--The Twins opened defense of their World Series championship with a victory at Milwaukee. Chuck Knoblauch’s ninth-inning single, his fourth hit of the game, provided the winning run.

The Twins broke a 2-2 tie in the ninth after Greg Gagne opened the inning with a single off losing pitcher Edwin Nunez and moved to second on Shane Mack’s grounder. Knoblauch followed with a line single to center field to drive in a sliding Gagne, who beat Robin Yount’s throw.

Kirby Puckett, who earlier hit a two-run homer, then doubled to right-center field to chase Nunez. A sacrifice fly by Luis Quinones off James Austin drove in Knoblauch.

“It was kind of an intense first game. It seemed like it wouldn’t end,” Knoblauch said.

Twin reliever Carl Willis pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings for the victory, and Rick Aguilera got the last three outs for the save. Aguilera had 42 saves in 1991.

The loss spoiled Phil Garner’s debut as Brewer manager.

“Right at the start the fans got excited, and I had a little adrenaline surge. Some of the players said, ‘Are you OK?’ ” Garner said.

“Maybe we should walk Knoblauch next time. He’s from Houston (where Garner coached last year), and he made it tough on me. He’s a scrappy hitter and uses all sides of the field. We made three good pitches on him and he got hits on all of them.”

A sellout crowd of 52,470 watched the Brewers open a season at home for the first time in five years. Vice President Dan Quayle threw out the first pitch.

Texas 12, Seattle 10--A three-run home run by pinch-hitter Geno Petralli against Mariner relief pitcher Mike Schooler fueled a nine-run eighth inning that carried the Rangers to victory at Seattle.

The Mariners broke a 3-3 tie with three runs in the sixth and scored two more in the seventh for an 8-3 lead before the Rangers rallied.

The Mariners outhit the Rangers, who committed three throwing errors, 17-12, in a game in which there were five home runs, three by Seattle. Steve Fireovid, fourth of six Texas pitchers, got the victory.

Texas starter Nolan Ryan was not involved in the decision, leaving the game in the fifth inning after aggravating a tight left calf muscle that bothered him during spring training.

Seattle’s Kevin Mitchell had three hits, including a double, and scored three runs.