J.J. Hardy Homers Twice, Orioles Remain Undefeated

The Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 9-5 at Fenway Park on April 12th behind a two home run performance by shortstop J.J. Hardy. Hardy had five RBIs in the game. Right fielder Mark Trumbo and catcher Matt Wieters also contributed a pair of RBIs as the Orioles improved their record to 7-0. Baltimore is the last undefeated team in the majors.

This is the Orioles’ best start to a season since 1944. Back then, they were the St. Louis Browns (the Browns relocated to Baltimore in 1954) and began the ’44 season 9-0. The Browns, who were pretty hapless for most of their time in St. Louis, went on to win their only American League pennant that season, compiling an 89-65 record. They lost the World Series 4-2 to the Cardinals in the only all St. Louis World Series in history.

Here’s one more Orioles/Browns trivia item. The Browns began play in 1902, the second year of the American League’s existence. In 1901, the team played its first season in Milwaukee, and was known as the Brewers. Sixty-nine years later, the Seattle Pilots left that city after just one season and moved to Milwaukee, changing their name to the Milwaukee Brewers.