It’s April 5, 1996, and usually the saying goes, “if you can’t score three runs, you don’t deserve to win.” But when things are going great, like they are for the O’s to start the season, sometimes 2 is enough. It was tonight, 2-1, in Minnesota.

Starter Kent Mercker pitched 6 innings and only gave up one run. Thanks to some nifty defense from Robbie Alomar and Cal Ripken, Jr., Roger McDowell escaped jams in the seventh and eighth. And Randy Myers struck out the side for his third save in four games. The O’s, now 4-0, have tied their best start since 1970.

The Sun’s Buster Olney, presumably on deadline after a night game in the central time zone, didn’t have any quotes in his game story. But Twins manager Tom Kelly raved about a diving play Cal made to prevent the tying run from scoring in the 7th. “That was a beautiful play by a tremendous player,” Kelly said. “Those players always find a way to make the key plays.” (Star Tribune, p. C7, April 6, 1996)

O’s outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds broke a scoreless tie in the 6th with his first homer of the season. A year ago, the oft-injured Hammonds might not have played on the artificial turf in Minnesota, but he’s playing this year. Manager Davey Johnson was very normal and not weird about it: “No wet-nursing time now,” he said. “It’s time to go to the whip, and Jeffrey wouldn’t have it any other way.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 6C, April 6, 1996)

The Sun also had a short feature on Billy Ripken, who has yet to appear in a game given the stacked and durable stars that man second base (Alomar) and third (B.J. Surhoff). He understands why he hasn’t cracked the lineup. “It means an awful lot for me to be here.,” he said. “I have to look at the big picture. I’m going to get a chance to play sometime, I’m on a good team, and I’m at home.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 6C, April 6, 1996)

The O’s will look to keep the good times rolling tomorrow in Minneapolis.

Here is the box score with the lovely totals from this game.

Jeffrey Hammonds’ homer means another brick in the wall!

Baltimore (4-0) at Minnesota (2-2), 8:05 p.m. ET

Starting Pitchers
BAL — RHP Jimmy Haynes, 0-0
MIN — RHP Brad Radke, 1-0, 1.50 ERA

The #1 movie in America this week is “Primal Fear,” the film debut of celebrity Orioles fan Edward Norton (raised in Columbia, Md.). Norton was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Aaron Stampler, a 19-year-old altar boy charged with murder. Norton is 27 at the time, but he is baby-faced. Silver fox Richard Gere also stars.

Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke outlined a plan to double the size of treatment programs for drug addiction. He wants the private sector to help fund the $26 million plan. It would expand a methadone program deemed in the paper as “controversial,” adding 1,100 more slots to the existing 2,400.

“This [plan] is truly medicalizing the problem because you are treating it as a health problem rather than trying to arrest your way out of it,” said Dr. Peter Bellenson, the city’s commissioner of health. Addressing addiction as a public health issue instead of a law enforcement issue is a noble and correct approach, but alas, many harm reduction programs are still deemed “controversial” by the media today.

Welcome to a recurring segment where I find fun things in today’s (in 1996) Baltimore Sun!

Move over, Dennis.