A textbook performance by the new ace of the staff. A home run from a legend on the final opening day of his career. A two-run homer and a great catch in right field by the new emerging superstar. For at least one day, on their first day of the 2016 season, everything was right and good in Red Sox Nation.
Riding a good-as-advertised pitching debut by David Price, who struck out ten and gave up just two runs on five hits over six innings of work, the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 6-2 yesterday. David Ortiz hit home run number 504 for what should be a career that lands him ultimately in the Hall of Fame. In fact, the blast to deep right field in the 9th inning ties Big Papi for twenty-sixth place on the all-time home runs list with Cooperstown denizen Eddie Murray, and the future of the team was on display with Mookie Betts blasting a two-run shot of his own in the second inning. The five-tool Betts also made a spectacular catch in right field when he twisted and leaped to snag a line drive that looked like it was going over his head for extra bases. Even the bullpen was stellar, with no runs allowed and two strike-outs in the ninth by new closer Craig Kimbrel, who got in some work in a non-save situation. So, do we rev up the Duck Boats to prep for another World Series parade? Of course we don't. We will recall that last year's last place team also won the first game of the year, and in fact were 6-3 after the first nine, so for now we'll bask in the glow of this very fine opener while remembering the Larry David mantra to "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
The NY Yankees got in their home opener on a day when it was as cold in the Bronx as it was in Cleveland, with 30-degree weather chilling both the Yanks and Houston Astros, who like the Red Sox and Indians, had to wait a day for the weather to cooperate just enough to play baseball in conditions more conducive to curling. In the end, the Astros beat the Yankees 5-3 on a controversial 8th inning play that would result in the Yankees playing the rest of the game under protest. Yankees reliever Dellin Betances allowed the eventual winning run to score when he fielded a slow roller back to the mound and lofted a shot-put throw to first over the head of Mark Texiera, which allowed Jose Altuve to score from second. But Carlos Correa, who tapped that slow roller, was running inside the base line path and Yankees manager Joe Girardi argued Correa should have been ruled out for running in fair territory, which he claimed forced Betances to make the errant toss so as not to hit the runner. But the umps got together to discuss it and decided the play should stand as called, with the chief umpire later saying in effect the throw was so high even Wilt Chamberlain couldn't have snagged it, and so the Astros get the victory.
The NY Mets got their first win of the year, topping the Kansas City Royals 2-0 at Kauffman Stadium, and the only Mets starting pitcher to win a game in last year's world series against the Royals got the victory again yesterday, making no friends in Kansas City in the process. Noah Syndergaard fired the first pitch of the game over the head of lead off hitter Alcides Escobar, a non-verbal message that says in effect "we didn't like you last year, and things haven't changed much since." After the boos rained down, Escobar tripled but Syndergard quickly settled down, retiring 12 straight batters after that. Neil Walker homered for the Mets to provide all the offense Syndergaard would need, as he gave up just 3 hits, walking one and striking out nine.
To the NHL, because I have to report on the slow, painful, familiar demise of the Boston Bruins, who are providing their frustrated fan base with a kind of slow motion replay of the slide into regular season failure that they seemed to perfect last season when they missed the playoffs by a single game. But with last night's 2-1 overtime shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, it seems as if the Bruins are determined to pen a sequel as disappointing as the "Hangover" movies. The Bruins had plenty of chances to score and get the two points they needed to be in charge of their own fate, but only Loui Eriksson could cash in on a breakaway to tie the game at one in the third period. Nothing doing in the overtime, and then in the shootout round the only scorer was Carolina defenseman Noah Hanifin, who beat Tuukka Rask top shelf. For some reason, Bruins coach Claude Julien kept one of his two leading goal scorers in Brad Marchand on the bench for the shootout and all other Bruins shooters failed to get one by Cam Ward. So the Bruins now are tied with Detroit and Philly with ninety-one points, but both those teams have games in hand on the Bruins, so for the B's to get into the playoffs they have to beat Detroit Thursday night AND hope the Red Wings lose in the interim. The Red Wings play Philly tonight and with the Bruins' luck that game will go to overtime, securing each team at least one point and basically giving Boston as much chance of mathematically making the post-season as Donald Trump and Ted Cruz getting together for a Karaoke rendition of "I Got You Babe".
