Orioles face five-day stretch of day games on road

BALTIMORE -- Day games are the norm during Spring Training, but the vast majority of contests from April on are played under the lights. That's what makes the Orioles' upcoming schedule a touch unusual.

After wrapping up its season-opening series against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night, Baltimore heads to Detroit for a three-game set starting Friday. All three games are scheduled to start at 1:08 p.m. ET, and the Orioles then stay on the road and have 1:05 p.m. starts Monday and Tuesday in New York at Yankee Stadium.

"I think the day games in a row, we've been on that clock all spring, but we're almost off of that," manager Buck Showalter said. "That's why I really pushed for night games the last week in Sarasota, [Fla.]"

Odd situation or not, Showalter was quick to state he's not setting the table for any future excuse.

"Nobody remembers [early season start times] in October, September anyway," said Showalter. "Night games, day games, on the road, what are you going to do? It's a great way to make a living, and along with it, comes some challenges."