In a game full of twists and turns, Adley Rutschman, the top overall pick in the 2019 draft, had a day for the ages. The Baltimore Orioles catcher made history by becoming the first catcher in MLB history to collect five hits in an opener. Rutschman went 5 for 5 with a walk, hitting a homer in his first at-bat and driving in four runs.
The 23-year-old catcher from Oregon State dominated against the Boston Red Sox, leading the Orioles to a 10-9 victory in their season opener at Fenway Park. Rutschman was emotional after the game, stating that it was the most he had ever felt on a baseball field.
Aside from Rutschman’s historic performance, Kyle Gibson’s 5+ inning outing allowed him to acquire a win in his opening day start. But it was Felix Bautista’s debut with the Orioles, pitching the ninth inning, which put baseball fans on the edge of their seats. With Baltimore holding a three-run lead, the Red Sox got two runners on before Rafael Devers’s strikeout and a controversial pitch clock violation on the following batter resulted in a full count. With two outs and everything on the line, the veteran closer struck out Adam Duvall on three pitches.
It may only have been the first game of the season, but Adley Rutschman’s record-breaking performance will go down in history, proving he has what it takes to be a star. Fans are no doubt eagerly awaiting his next game for the Orioles.
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