Photos: Twins battle cold, Mariners and come out on top

Fireworks go off as Dessa sings the national anthem.
Fireworks go off as Dessa sings the national anthem before the Twins' home opener at Target Field.
Evan Frost | MPR News

Despite fears of record cold, it turned out to be a pretty nice day for the Twins home opener, with sunshine and above-freezing temperatures. The Twins wound up having a pretty good day on the field, too.

As Dessa finished singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," a bald eagle that was supposed to land on the pitcher's mound instead alighted on Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton.

Word of possible freezing temperatures did not deter fans. Nearly all were bundled up, and many brought hand and toe warmers.

Inside the stadium, there was no hint of the 8 inches of wet snow that fell just two days prior.

As it turned out, Thursday's game time 38-degree temperature was only the second-coldest opening day at Target Field. The record-holder is 2013, when it was 35 degrees at first pitch.

The record for the Twins' coldest ever opening day — 33 degrees at Metropolitan Stadium in 1962 — still stands.

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