After a rainout cancelled yesterday's game against the Detroit Tigers, the Boston Red Sox came home and laid an egg in their home opener against the Cleveland Indians. Milt Wilcox went the distance for the Indians and held the Sox to just two measly hits. Ray Culp (0-1, 2.35 ERA) tried to keep pace but left with two outs in the top of the eighth. Bill Lee served up a backbreaking three run bomb to Tommy McCraw and Lew Krause allowed a run in the top of the ninth to wrap up the scoring. Duane Josephson had the only two hits the Sox were able to eek out and the Indians blanked the Sox in the Fenway Opener 4-0 at Fenway Park.
Graig Nettles flied out to center to start the top of the second but Chris Chambliss singled to right. Ray Fosse and Buddy Bell both flied out to left to end the inning. Danny Cater popped up to third to begin the bottom of the first but Doug Griffin drew a walk. Griffin stole second but Duane Josephson struck out swinging. Culp struck out swinging to end the inning.
Frank Duffy took strike three to start the top of the third and Wilcox popped up to first. Unser grounded out to second to end the inning. Harper struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third before Aparicio grounded back to the mound. Yaz grounded out to second to end the inning.
Culp cruised in the top of the fourth as Leon struck out swinging to start. Johnson lined out to Aparicio and Nettles popped up to Luis to end the inning. Smith flied out to right to open the bottom of the fourth before Petrocelli hit one up the elevator shaft. Cater lined out to right to end the inning.
The Indians threatened in the top of the fifth as Chambliss grounded out to first to start. Fosse walked but Bell lined out to third. Duffy walked but Wilcox flied out to right to end the inning. Griffin lined out to left to start the bottom of the fifth but Josephson broke up the no-hitter with a double to center. Josephson moved to third on the grounder to first by Culp but Harper struck out swinging to end the inning.
Unser grounded out to first to begin the top of the sixth before Leon ripped a base hit to right. Johnson hit a bullet to Aparicio who fired to first to double off Leon to end the inning. Tommy McCraw came in to play first for Chambliss in the bottom of the sixth and Aparicio grounded out to third to start. Yaz lined out to left and Smith grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Indians threatened in the top of the seventh as Nettles doubled to center to start. McCraw struck out swinging and Fosse was intentionally walked. Bell beat out a double play ball and Duffy walked to load the bases. Wilcox grounded into a force to end the inning. Petrocelli grounded out to short to start the bottom of the seventh and Cater lined out to left. Griffin took strike three to end the inning.
Things fell apart in the top of the seventh although Unser's bunt attempt was snuffed out by Josephson to start. Leon grounded out to third but Johnson ripped a base hit to center. Nettles got a base hit to right and that was it for Culp. He eventually would be charged with two runs in 7 2/3 innings. Bill Lee was brought in to face McCraw and Tommy hit a home run all the way to Nebraska to put the Indians up for good. Fosse grounded out to short to end the inning with the Indians up 3-0.
Josephson tried to start a rally with a base hit to right and Bill Burda made his Red Sox debut by pinch hitting for Lee. Burda took strike three, Harper struck out swinging and Aparicio forced Josephson at second to end the inning.
Lew Krausse came in to pour gas on the fire in the top of the ninth in his Sox debut as Bell flied out to left to start. Duffy singled to center and Krause dropped down a bunt.....only Cater dropped the ball for an error. Naturally Unser singled to right to score Duffy with another run. Leon took strike three and Johnson grounded out to second to end the inning with the Indians up 4-0.
Adolfo Phillips came in to play right in the bottom of the ninth and Yaz grounded out to second. Smith flied out to left and Petrocelli popped up to short to end the game. The Indians had blanked the Sox 4-0.
Jackass of the Night is Bill Lee. He allowed the backbreaking three run homer to McCraw to put the Indians up for good.
The Good:
Duane Josephson was 2 for 3.
One of the rare times the losing pitcher is on the Good list but Ray Culp tossed 7 2/3 innings of 2 run ball. He allowed just 5 hits and walked 4.
The Bad:
Luis Aparicio was 0 for 4.
Reggie Smith was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Rico Petrocelli was 0 for 4.
Danny Cater was 0 for 3.
Bill Burda struck out as a pinch hitter
Lew Krausse allowed a run in the top of the ninth.
The Ugly:
Tommy Harper was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked.
Carl Yastrzemski was 0 for 3 but walked.
Doug Griffin was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked and stole a base.
Final Thoughts:
If Opening Day wasn't bad enough, this game was even worse. That's two complete games in a row tossed against the Red Sox and the Boston offense has been held to 2 runs in 18 innings. Danny Cater was supposed to be the answer to George Scott and he's looked bad in two games so far. Culp did the best he could but he could have pitched a shutout and still wouldn't have won the game because the bats were silent. Lee serving up that home run was bad but you can't win if you can't score. Wilcox had the potential to be a star for Cincinnati but they gave up on him early, now the Sox and the American League have to suffer because of it. The offense will come as the season progresses but coming off the player's strike, going 0-2 leaves bad tastes in the mouths of Sox fans. The Sox look to bounce back tomorrow afternoon against the Indians when Sonny Siebert makes his season debut against Dick Tidrow of the Indians. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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