BALTIMORE, Md. — After months and months of waiting, things start to get back to some sort of normalcy on Monday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. We finally have an actual baseball game... in the summer... under the lights. It’s the Orioles and the World Series Champion Washington Nationals.
Baltimore is coming off Sunday's exhibition opener, a 5-1 win in Philadelphia in 9-and-a-half innings.
Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde said the intensity is raised as his club trots onto the Camden Yards field at long last.
"It sure is nice to be home and playing against another opponent," he said. "This is our first home exhibition game and once again, just like last night, we’re facing a very good lineup with (Stephen) Strasburg on the mound. So, it’s a Major League hardball game tonight. Last night we faced seven all-stars in the Phillies lineup, and tonight we’re playing the world champions from last year."
There will be no fans in the stands this year. Team officials are also encouraging fans to not even come down to the ballpark. The normal places around Camden Yards where you could see into the stadium in previous years have been screened off. It's all in an effort to prevent large gatherings.
Following Monday's game the Orioles have one more exhibition contest, tomorrow in D.C.
The regular season gets going Friday night in Boston.
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