The Orioles play the Boston Red Sox in the second game of the season tonight at Camden Yards. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., with Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez set to face Red Sox right-hander John Lackey.
How does this year's squad stack up through one game against successful Orioles teams of the past? With high expectations this season, we'll try to track how the club is performing through each game compared to previous years in which they made the playoffs.
As long as the Orioles remain in playoff contention, we'll track their performance against history. If they fall out of the pennant chase, we'll look at their record in different ways.
With a 1-0 record, the Orioles are alone in first place in the American League East. They have a 1/2-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays, who are both 1-1.
Here's how the Orioles fared in previous seasons in which they made the playoffs.
Interesting game
The Orioles started their wire-to-wire run to the AL East title in 1997 with a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals in front of an announced 46,588 at Camden Yards. Left-hander Jimmy Key allowed two unearned runs and four hits in six innings to pick up his first of 16 wins that season.
2012
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 93-69, lost in AL Division Series to New York Yankees
1997
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 98-64, lost in AL Championship Series to Cleveland Indians
1996
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 88-74, lost in ALCS to Yankees
1983
Record: 0-1
Season finish: 98-64, beat Philadelphia Phillies in World Series
1979
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 102-57, lost in World Series to Pittsburgh Pirates
1974
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 91-71, lost in ALCS to Oakland Athletics
1973
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 97-65, lost in ALCS to Athletics
1971
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 101-57, lost in World Series to Pirates
1970
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 108-54, beat Cincinnati Reds in World Series
1969
Record: 0-1
Season finish: 109-53, lost in World Series to New York Mets
1966
Record: 1-0
Season finish: 97-63, beat Los Angeles Dodgers in World Series
