For the first time since 2019, Tyler O'Neill was kept in the yard on Opening Day.
O'Neill entered Thursday's season opener with the Baltimore Orioles having homered in an MLB record six consecutive opening-day contests. But this year, O'Neill couldn't keep the streak alive.
The Maple Ridge, B.C., native went 1-for-2 with a single and a walk against the Minnesota Twins in what ended as a Baltimore 2-1 victory.
Trevor Rogers pitched seven shutout innings, and Colton Cowser and Blaze Alexander had seventh-inning RBIs to lift the Orioles to the win.
O'Neill began the streak as a member of the Cardinals in 2020, knocking dingers in three straight seasons with St. Louis. He then continued to mash on Opening Day with the Boston Red Sox in 2024, and later with the Orioles in 2025.
He broke the record in 2024 with Boston and only added to it last season with Baltimore.
With his six-year stretch snapped, the 30-year-old can turn his focus to the rest of the season, where he'll hope to get a better bill of health.
In 2025, O'Neill was limited to just 54 games for the Orioles, in which he slashed .199/.292/.392 with nine home runs, after signing a three-year, $49.5-million deal the previous off-season.
Even without a homer, O'Neill will surely be pleased with Thursday's showing, as he came around to score after his single in the seventh as the game's winning run.
Rogers, meanwhile, induced three double plays and limited Minnesota to 1-for-11 batting with runners in scoring position.
Following a stellar 2025 season in which he went 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA, Rogers picked up where he left off in front of a sellout crowd at Camden Yards for the earliest opener in franchise history. The lefty allowed three hits, walked four and was especially effective when stuck in a jam.
Twins righty Joe Ryan was every bit as good. In his second career opening day start, Ryan allowed one hit and two walks over 5 1/3 innings.
Baltimore broke up the scoreless duel in the seventh against the Minnesota bullpen. Kody Funderburk (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Samuel Basallo and Tyler O'Neill followed with a single off Justin Topa before Cowser delivered a sacrifice fly and Alexander ripped a two-out RBI single up the middle.
The Twins closed to 2-1 in the eighth when Byron Buxton tripled and scored on a fly ball by Luke Keaschall.
Closer Ryan Helsley struck out the side in the ninth, getting pinch-hitter Trevor Larnach with a runner on second to end it.
Craig Albernaz got the win in his managerial debut. He was hired from Cleveland in October to help turn around a team that went 75-87 last year.
Pete Alonso went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk in his Orioles debut. The five-time all-star had 126 RBIs with the New York Mets last year before signing a five-year contract with Baltimore as a free agent.
Up next
After taking Friday off, the Twins and Orioles resume their series on Saturday with right-hander Taj Bradley starting for Minnesota against Baltimore righty Kyle Bradish.
— with files from the Associated Press
