Thursday was a special day in Major League Baseball.
Opening Day had arrived, and thus, a new season began.
And two MLB stars certainly had days to remember at the plate.
In the matchup between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, Orioles catcher and American League Rookie of the Year finalist Adley Rutschman picked up five hits and led the team to a 10-9 win at Fenway Park.
He also drove in four runs.
Meanwhile in St. Louis, George Springer led the Toronto Blue Jays to a win over the St. Louis Cardinals, picking up five hits of his own and even tying the game in the top of the ninth.
In fact, it was the first time since 1901 that more than one player had recorded five or more hits on Opening Day.
George Springer and Adley Rutschman both recorded 5-hit games on #OpeningDay
This was the first Opening Day since 1901 that more than one player recorded a 5+ hit game!
(H/T @SlangsOnSports) pic.twitter.com/eOt9fcz5Pf
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 31, 2023
Rutschman’s day included a home run and four singles.
Some of Springer’s hits were on soft contact, but he did plenty of damage against the defending National League Central champions, who only managed to retire him once throughout the entire game.
Both games ended by a 10-9 score.
But it was certainly an Opening Day to remember for both stars, who carried their respective teams and kicked off the 2023 season on a positive note.
As for the Cardinals and Red Sox, they were unable to contain the two sluggers and ultimately ended up on the wrong side of two historic Opening Day performances.
There will be more games on the schedule for Friday as the 2023 season enters its second day.
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