Happy 27th birthday, Brian Burres.

Our fifth starter gave us a six strong innings today, pulled in the seventh after allowing a leadoff walk, throwing just 81 pitches and allowing one earned (an inherited runner that Matt Albers allowed to score) with three strikeouts and two walks.

Burres was really sharp today, including one ridiculous 74mph curveball that got a clutch bases loaded strikeout. He worked out of a couple of jams, pitched efficiently, and really, really looked good. I'd even say that this was the best an O's starter has looked this season.

This wasn't a come-from-behind win; this was just an ass-kicking. The Birds were up 4-0 after three innings. Scott Moore homered in his first at-bat of the day, a lazy fly ball that carried over the right field wall at The Ballpark, and Brian Roberts drove in Adam Jones in the same inning. In the fourth, Aubrey Huff scored on a two-run homer from Luuuuuuuke Scott, Scott's first jack as an Oriole.

Huff had a killer day, going 4-for-4 with 4 RBI, including a two-run double in the sixth that was originally called a three-run homer. Yellow lines can cram it. (It was a good call.)

Texas' lone run came in the bottom of the seventh, when Ian Kinsler singled off of Albers, bringing David Murphy home. Albers pitched two innings in relief of Burres, striking out four and walking no one, allowing two hits and no earned runs. He gave the ball to Greg Aquino, and even Aquino proved to be worthwhile today, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

Scott was 2-for-4 with a walk, Markakis 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored, Luis Luis was 1-for-2 with a walk.

Everything is breaking our way right now. Which is nice because there have been plenty of times in recent years, even with a bad team, where things have just broken way against us.

This team rules. 6-1, y'all!

Brian Burres, LH (2007 - 6-8, 5.95/1.70) v. Jason Jennings, RH (0-1, 7.20/1.40)

Game time is 2:05 on MASN. This is the Rangers' home opener, and The Ballpark should be full. I don't remember what it's called now, and I don't care. That's always going to be The Ballpark to me. It's too closely associated with Camden Yards for me to call it something else.

You may remember the Rangers from August 22, 2007, an historic day in Major League Baseball History.

And that was just the first game of a double-header, if you recall.

Jennings is with his third team in as many years, as he's gone from Colorado to Houston via trade and now signed with Texas as a free agent. When he's on, he's a fine pitcher. He struggled in his first start as a member of the American League, losing at Seattle on April 2.

This is Burres' first start of the season. He did throw an inning of mop-up on Opening Day. Burres was useful before the All-Star break (4.27/1.55) but got torched once the league had a read on him afterward, putting up a 7.92 ERA and 1.89 WHIP. That is unforgivably bad. So excuse me if I don't get as excited about Burres as Jim Palmer tends to.

Since I'm on the Extra Innings package on cable, I'll probably have to put up with Josh Lewin and the Texas broadcast. On the plus side, I'll get to see some Dallas-area commercials. Actually, looks like the Texas broadcast is on KDFW down there, and not their FSN. So hooray for MASN, I think!

ORIOLES STARTING LINEUP

1. Brian Roberts, 2B
2. Nick Markakis, RF
3. Kevin Millar, 1B
4. Aubrey Huff, DH
5. Luke Scott, LF - .500/.579/.625
   
6. Ramon Hernandez, C
7. Scott Moore, 3B
8. Adam Jones, CF
9. Luis Hernandez, SS

RANGERS STARTING LINEUP

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Michael Young, SS
3. Josh Hamilton, CF - .292/.368/.554 with CIN last season
   
4. Milton Bradley, RF
5. Hank Blalock, 3B
6. Marlon Byrd, LF
7. David Murphy, DH
8. Gerald Laird, C
9. Ben Broussard, 1B
   

FUN STATS

• Burres was a big part of that 30-3 drubbing. A big, big part. Two-thirds of an inning pitched, eight earned. 108 ERA.
• In 225 career at-bats, Melvin Mora hits .298/.386/.440 against Texas. At The Ballpark (129 AB), he bats a powerless .279/.356/.388 with just one home run.
• Big-time super superstar Michael Young hits a robust .290/.337/.391 against the Orioles. That's not as big of a dropoff from his overall numbers as most seem to think.
• Handlebar moustached former Blue Jay Frank Catalanotto hits .286/.377/.402 against the O's. Frankie Cats is one of my favorite players.