The umpires showed up, Camden Yards fans cheered Roberto Alomar and with all the subplots set aside, the Orioles set about winning their first postseason game since 1983.
Brady Anderson homered to lead off the bottom of the first inning, the first of four homers hit by the Orioles in their 10-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a best-of-five American League Division Series. Game 2 is today at Camden Yards at 1: 07 p.m.
Orioles left fielder B. J. Surhoff hit two homers and right fielder Bobby Bonilla hit a grand slam, the first by an Oriole in postseason play since the 1970 World Series, when pitcher Dave McNally hit one. McNally threw out the first pitch yesterday.
The start of the game was delayed 17 minutes as officials from Major League Baseball and the umpires union struggled to reach a temporary settlement of the umpires' threat to boycott games until Alomar, who spat in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck on Friday, began serving his suspension.
An agreement was reached when American League President Gene Budig scheduled a hearing tomorrow in New York to consider Alomar's appeal of his suspension. The umpires wanted Budig to act quickly and more firmly, but there's a chance Alomar will drop his appeal in an attempt to let the issue die.
The umpires arrived at 12: 50 p.m., or about 17 minutes before the scheduled start of the game.
When Alomar was introduced, he received some boos, but was largely cheered by the home crowd all day. He had one hit and drove in a run.
Pub Date: 10/02/96
