O's Remain Hot Against Devil Rays

Baltimore Has Scored 25 Runs Thus Far: Orioles 16, Devil Rays 6

BALTIMORE, April 5 -- A chill, one that nipped at fans in the stands, players in the outfield and Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitchers on the mound, covered Oriole Park at Camden Yards as temperatures dipped into the 40s on this night in Baltimore when the home team pounded away at the opposition. It has been quite easy for the Baltimore Orioles in their first two games of the season. The Orioles are 2-0 with two knockouts after Wednesday's 16-6 thrashing of the Devil Rays. In two games, the Orioles have scored 25 runs against the Devil Rays, an impressive number no matter how lightly regarded Tampa's pitching staff may be. It may be an early sign that Baltimore's lineup could be more powerful than expected, more patient than advertised and certainly more dangerous with Nick Markakis, Baltimore's talented rookie, as part of it.

"We've heard the criticism," outfielder Jay Gibbons said. "But I'm not surprised."

Wednesday turned out to be Markakis's coming out party, a celebration of this young phenom's quick rise through Baltimore's farm system. While Markakis, 22, was part of the offensive display, he certainly did not lead the attack, though he added dramatics to a night that had none when, in the eighth inning, he crushed a pitch to center field against Dan Miceli for a 402-foot home run, his first hit as an Oriole. The rookie, who has shown to be unflappable, kept mostly a straight face as he rounded the bases.

"I saw just a crack" of a smile, Orioles Manager Sam Perlozzo said. "I thought he was going to break down. That's as much as we're going to get out of him. We'll smile for him."

Markakis swung at only one of the first 17 pitches he saw, walking in his first three plate appearances, and then lined the 19th pitch of his career into left field that would have gotten him his first hit if not for Carl Crawford's diving catch.

"That to me is more impressive than the home run," Gibbons said of Markakis's three walks.

Regardless, it was a smashing debut for Markakis. After the game had ended, three Baltimore executives, dressed in suits, marched down the stairs that led to the Orioles clubhouse with glee.

Markakis appears to be what Baltimore has lacked for several seasons, a prototypical No. 2 hitter in the lineup with excellent bat control and a knack for getting on base. For at least two seasons, the Orioles have wanted to find a hitter to drop Miguel Tejada and Melvin Mora in the order. Markakis could be it. It was the power he showed on Wednesday that was unexpected.

"I was relaxed," Markakis said. "I wanted to see some pitches. I didn't swing at any bad pitches. I didn't change my approach or anything [for the home run]. I didn't know for sure if it was gone."

One Orioles pitcher compared him to Jason Giambi, though the rookie is not nearly the leviathan the New York Yankees' slugger is. But the Orioles' pitcher made his point. Markakis, like Giambi, makes pitchers work, a theme that seems to be embraced by these Orioles. Tampa Bay starters have combined to throw 199 pitches in the first two games, yet neither survived past the fourth inning. The Orioles walked nine times against the Devil Rays on Wednesday, seven of them given up by starter Seth McClung.

The Orioles scored 15 runs in the first five innings. Baltimore's lineup had so thoroughly thrashed Tampa Bay's pitching staff that Brian Roberts batted five times through the first five innings. Every starter in the lineup had scored at least one run by the sixth except catcher Ramon Hernandez, who had driven in three runs and up to that point was a perfect 5 for 5 in his Baltimore career. Gibbons was 3 for 3 on the night with four RBI and two runs despite the fact he played just five innings. The Orioles, who hit four home runs in Monday's opener, had two more on Wednesday.

Yet it was the rookie with the walks who stole the show. Perlozzo was peppered with questions about Markakis in his postgame interview.

"It's early," Perlozzo cautioned. "Give the kid a break."