BALTIMORE — This week proved how unpredictable the world can be. When the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, it left two construction workers dead and four others presumed dead, a city shocked and a community grappling with tragedy.

Amid the uncertainty Thursday was the consistency of baseball — opening day, a gem of a ballpark and one of MLB’s best young teams. Baltimore fans packed Camden Yards, and the Orioles rewarded them — and new owner David Rubenstein — with the first of what’s expected to be many wins this season.

Adley Rutschman, Corbin Burnes and the Orioles defeated the visiting Los Angeles Angels, 11-3, in front of a sold-out Camden Yards crowd of 45,029. Rutschman continued his opening day success with a two-hit performance. Burnes, starting in his Orioles debut, dominated in historic fashion by striking out 11 while allowing just one run on one hit in six innings. Outfielders Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins, veterans who survived the painful rebuild that led to the club’s current success, both blasted home runs in the first opening day at Camden Yards since 2018.

After winning 101 games and an American League East title last year, the Orioles are picking up right where they left off.

Rubenstein doesn’t want Thursday’s win — or any regular-season triumph — to be all that’s celebrated in Charm City during his tenure as owner. During his introductory event Thursday before the game, the 74-year-old private equity billionaire made clear his intentions with his hometown team.

“Today is an easy day to say everything is great,” he said. “I don’t want this to be the high-water mark. I want the high-water mark to be in the fall when we go to the World Series.”

Rubenstein’s purchase of the club was made official by Major League Baseball on Wednesday. He and his large ownership group, which includes Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., bought the club from the Angelos family in a deal that values the team at $1.725 billion.

Rubenstein, a Baltimore native, took part in the pregame festivities as fans filed in. He wore a custom jersey with No. 24 on the back for the 2024 season and watched as Ripken caught the first pitch. He and a few others from the ownership group yelled “play ball” shortly before Burnes took the mound. He watched as Brandon Hyde, whom Rubenstein called the “best manager in baseball,” and his players trotted onto the field via the orange carpet, as fans cheered for each player — the loudest for Gunnar Henderson and the team’s other stars.

“We want the leadership to be wanting the World Series as much as we do,” Henderson said of Rubenstein, who spoke to the Orioles’ clubhouse before the game. “I feel like he’s got the same mindset.”

Henderson and the other Orioles’ hitters didn’t waste any time proving that’s their goal. The 2023 AL Rookie of the Year led off the game with a walk, advanced to third on Rutschman’s single and scored on a groundout from Santander to tie the game after superstar Mike Trout homered off Burnes in the top of the first. Jordan Westburg, Baltimore’s designated hitter, gave the Orioles their first lead of the season, celebrating his first opening day at-bat with an RBI single to score Rutschman.

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