Jim Slaton got the start for Milwaukee and Jerry Remy greeted him with a groundout back to the mound to start. Rick Burleson singled to right but Fred Lynn flied out to center. Jim Rice struck out to end the inning. Eckersley got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Paul Molitor grounded out to third to start. Old friend Cecil Cooper took strike three before Dick Davis flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning when Carl Yastrzmeski got the first hit of the season with a base hit to right. Tony Perez made his Red Sox debut with a base hit to right before a wild pitch moved both runners over. Butch Hobson drove in the first run of the season with a base hit to score Yaz to put the Sox on top. The rally ended as Dwight Evans struck out and Dave Rader banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Old buddy Ben Oglivie flied out to right to begin the bottom of the second inning before Gorman Thomas struck out. Sixto Lezcano hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning.
The Sox added to the lead in the top of the third although Remy flied out to left. The hit parade was started when Burleson singled to center and Lynn singled to right. Rice singled home Burleson and Yaz singled home Lynn to put Slaton on the ropes. Unfortunately Perez banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Don Money grounded out to third to start the bottom of the third before Robin Yount popped up to first. Charlie Moore singled to right but Molitor flied out to center to end the inning.
Hobson grounded out to short to begin the top of the fourth but Evans drew a walk. Evan moved to second on the grounder by Rader but Remy flied out to left to end the inning. Eckersley suddenly fell apart in the bottom of the fourth although Cooper took strike three. Davis flied out to center but Oglivie pounded a 50,000 foot home run to put the Brewers on the board. Thomas walked and Lezcano bashed a 300,000 foot home run to tie the game. Money walked but Yount flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 3-3.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Burleson flied out to center to start. Lynn struck out looking and Rice grounded out to third to end the inning. Moore grounded out to third to begin the top of the fifth but Molitor smashed a 5,000,000 foot home run into Lake Michigan to give the Brewers the lead. Cooper doubled to left and Sox manager Don Zimmer ran out of the dugout screaming his head off and tried to throw a roundhouse right at Eckersley. Eck ducked under it and hightailed it out of there as Steve Renko was brought into pitch. Eckersley lasted just 4 1/3 innings and gave up 4 runs off 3 homers, brutal. Davis struck out but Oglivie was intentionally walked. Thomas walked to load the bases but Lezcano grounded out to third to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 4-3.
Boston failed to respond in the top of the sixth as Yaz flied out to left to start. Perez and Hobson both grounded out to short to end the inning. The homer parade continued as Money homered off Renko to start the bottom of the sixth. Yount grounded out to short, Moore took strike three and Molitor flied out to center to end the inning with the Brewers ahead 5-3.
Slaton cruised in the top of the seventh as Evans flied out to left to start. Rader flied out to center and Remy grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Renko kept pace in the bottom of the seventh as Cooper struck out to start. Davis grounded out to short and Oglivie grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox looked defeated in the top of the eighth as Burleson grounded out to short to start. Lynn grounded out to first and Rice flied out to center to end the inning. Renko got in trouble in the bottom of the eighth as Thomas led off with a double to left. Lezcano and Money both flied out to center but Yount walked. Moore struck out to end the inning.
With their backs to the wall, the Sox somehow rallied in the top of the ninth. Yaz led of with his first home run of the season to cut the lead but Perez grounded out to third. Hobson stepped up by jacking his first home run of the season to tie the game and chase Slaton. Old pal Reggie Cleveland came in and Evans grounded back to the mound. Rader flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox tying it up 5-5.
Dick Drago came in to preserve the tie in the bottom of the ninth and failed miserably. Molitor singled to right and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Cooper. Davis popped up to first and Oglivie walked to set up a force. The move backfired as Thomas walked and Lezcano ended it with a grand slam all the way into the Gulf of Mexico to end the game. The Brewers had won it 9-5.
The Brewers had won it 9-5 to spoil Opening Day for the Sox.
Jackass of the Night is Dick Drago. He allowed the walkoff grand slam to lose the game.
The Good:
Rick Burleson was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Carl Yastrezmski was 3 for 4 with 2 total rbis, 2 total runs scored including a solo home run.
Butch Hobson was 2 for 4 with a solo home run.
Steve Renko allowed a run in 3 2/3 innings of work.
The Bad:
Jerry Remy was 0 for 4.
Dave Rader was 0 for 4.
Dennis Eckersley allowed 4 runs in just 4 1/3 innings. He allowed 5 hits including 3 home runs.
The Ugly:
Fred Lynn was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Jim Rice was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Tony Perez was just 1 for 4.
Dwight Evans was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
This is going to leave a bad taste in Boston fans' mouths. Eckersley didn't look good at all and as usual the Sox could bop their way back in the game but found a way to lose anyway. The stench of 1979 carried over to 1980 and the Sox are gonna have to make a few moves to avoid a fate worse than last season. Still, its only one game and there's 161 of these to go.....good lord. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Saturday against the Brewers in the second game of this series. Mike Torrez makes his season debut for the Sox against Lary Sorensen of the Brewers at 2:40 PM at County Stadium
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