David Price will be making his Red Sox debut on Opening Day, becoming the first pitcher to make his Red Sox debut as an Opening Day starter since David Wells in 2005. In December, Price signed the largest contract ever for a pitcher, and now, here he was, walking to the mound on the coldest Opening Day in Cleveland in 99 years (34 degrees, 8-mph wind) and representing something the Sox have lacked since they traded Jon Lester 20 months ago: a true ace.
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“We want to thank you, Mayor Menino, Governor Patrick, the whole police department for the great job that they did this past week”.
Price struck out 10 – almost matching a franchise record for most strikeouts on Opening Day – and allowed just five hits, all singles.
In seven career starts at Progressive Field, Price is 5-0 with a 2.77 ERA.
The Indians reached Price for two runs in the fourth when it appeared as though an 11-pitch at-bat with former Sox first baseman Mike Napoli seemed to take a lot out of him. Did anyone really expect Ortiz not to hit a home run in his last Opening Day of his career?
“It looked like he tried to go down and away to Betts and left it in the middle”, manager Terry Francona said. Brock Holt’s second golfed single of the day gave Boston a 3-2 lead and placed Shaw in scoring position. And this time, Price couldn’t keep the runner at third, with Marlon Byrd popping a curveball into left field, where Holt didn’t even try to keep Carlos Santana from scoring the tying run. In fact, Cleveland didn’t get a runner to second base after that fourth inning. It was David Price’s first (real) start as a member of the Red Sox, and all eyes were on the lefty ace. Cleveland tallied 15 strikeouts as a club Tuesday, a dozen coming from four of their new veteran hitters. Ten times the Indians stepped up to the plate and were sent back to the dugout with three strikes. Corey Kluber took the loss for Cleveland, allowing four earned runs in 5.1 innings.
“I don’t think the conditions are an excuse”, he said. “I’m happy he’s on my team”. The Tribe would tie it up at 2.
Jeff Manship relieved Kluber in the sixth inning.
“He’s smart and unsafe”, Francona said. “I wish he would have retired this year”.
“I’m going to have fun, and enjoy this year”. “We have 161 more games to go”. If the Indians are going to avoid yet another slow start, they need the group to do better over the next week while Chisenhall and Brantley recover. That bridge to closer Craig Kimbrel looks pretty good after day one, doesn’t it? We walked him the time before.
Indians President Chris Antonetti says it was “difficult” to postpone Monday’s opener against Boston, and he empathizes with those fans affected by the decision. His pitching line was 103 pitches, 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB and 10 Ks.
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Jim Berdysz is an Indians Beat Reporter for Indians Baseball Insider who has covered the Tribe for the last three seasons.
