Price didn’t disappoint Boston’s faithful, who envision him turning the Red Sox back into a power.
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The lefthander exited after six solid innings with the Red Sox leading the Indians 4-2.
“When the light goes, Papi goes on”, Ortiz artfully explained.
In the off-season, Ortiz announced 2016 would be the final year of his career.
But Price set a tone Tuesday for every pitcher who comes after him.
The way the Red Sox looked this day, it may be tough slowing them down, too, with Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski shaking everyone’s hand that walked through the clubhouse, believing this could be glimpse of something special. Their bats failed to heat up, and Price fanned 10 hitters in six innings. Napoli fought through a 15-pitch at-bat in the fourth inning that helped the Tribe score their only two runs of the game. He is a left-handed starter, one of few the Red Sox have had in recent years. What happens in between – on the days when Buchholz, Joe Kelly, Rick Porcello, Steven Wright and, eventually, young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez are on the mound – will go as far toward determining the Red Sox’s fate as anything Price does.
Sure, it’s just one game.
“He’s still got it, absolutely”, David Price said of his new teammate after earning the win.
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Tuesday, April 5, 2016, in Cleveland. Keuchel (1-0) allowed Starlin Castro’s two-run double in the second, which ended the AL Cy Young Award winner’s 29-inning scoreless streak against NY. He pulled of the defensive play of the game.
The fifth inning could have been trouble, but Betts made a leaping catch over his head to rob Rajai Davis of extra bases to lead off the inning. “I’m champing at the bit”, Brantley said….
There was a lot to like for Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell on Opening Day, and he liked all of it. “He’s a fun guy to watch”. David Ortiz began his farewell campaign with a homer and a double while budding star Mookie Betts homered and Travis Shaw, who beat out Pablo Sandoval for the starting third base job in spring training, singled twice and scored.
Ortiz wasn’t the only star of this one. “He’s got that swag”. So, in a toss-up game, I’m going to side with Cleveland to get its bounce back win. On Shaw’s single to right, Ramirez aggressively rounded second and slid safely into third. The 31-year-old Texas native has never made 30 starts in a season and failed to make more than 18 in three of the last five campaigns.
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It was the 504th homer of Ortiz’s career, tying Eddie Murray for 26th on the all-time list, and it came in his 14th overall Opening Day start and 13th as a designated hitter, surpassing Don Baylor for the most all-time at the position. That’s him. That’s what Price always brings to the table. That’s him. He doesn’t surprise me at all anymore.
