Dave Stieb got the ball for the Jays and Wade Boggs greeted him with a single up the middle to start the season. Jody Reed whiffed on a curveball in the dirt before Mike Greenwell grounded out to first, moving Boggs to second. Jack Clark made his Red Sox debut by grounding out to third to end the inning. "Rocket" Roger Clemens took the mound in the bottom of the first and he blew away Devon White to start. Roberto Alomar grounded out to second but Kelly Gruber hit a high chopper to third for a base hit. Joe Carter stroked a base hit to right to move Gruber to third, but John Olerud whiffed on a pitch in the dirt to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second inning as Ellis Burks was retired on a squibber in front of the mound. Tom Brunansky grounded out to second and Carlos Quintana lined out to right to end the inning. The Jays struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Rance Mulliniks sliced a ground ball single to left to begin. Greg Myers hit a high pop up to left but Manuel Lee hit a ground rule double on a missed catch by Greenwell. Mookie Wilson scored Rance with a sac fly before White grounded out to short to end the inning with the Jays up 1-0.
The Sox exploded to take command in the top of the third inning. Tony Pena doubled down the left field line to start and was sacrificed to third on the bunt by Tim Naehring. Boggs and Reed both drew walks to load the bases and Greenwell singled home Pena to tie the game. Clark served notice to the AL East that The Ripper was in town with a towering grand slam into the upper deck in left to give the Sox the lead. Burks was plunked but was picked off and Brunansky popped up to Alomar in shallow right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
Sox take the lead
Clemens responded with a clean bottom of the third inning. Alomar grounded out to second before Gruber popped up to center. Carter hit a 390 foot out to the centerfield warning track to end the inning.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the fourth inning as Quintana lined out to short to begin. Pena and Naehring both flied out to center to end the inning. Clemens cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Olerud and Mulliniks both grounded out to first. Myers whiffed to end the inning with Clemens retiring eight batters in a row.
Steib cruised in the top of the fifth as Boggs grounded out to second to start. Reed looked at strike three on the inside corner before Greenwell popped up to second to end the inning. Clemens continued to dominate in the bottom of the fifth as Lee whiffed on a ball down and in to begin. Wilson grounded out to third before White struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jim Acker came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Clark whiffed to begin. Burks looked at strike three on the outside corner before Brunansky grounded out to third to end the inning. Clemens continued to cruise in the bottom of the sixth as Alomar grounded out to second to begin. Gruber grounded out to short and Carter lined out to third to end the inning.
Nothing happened in the top of the seventh as Quintana grounded out to third to start. Pena whiffed and Naehring grounded out to third to end the inning. Clemens ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh although Olerud grounded out to first to start. Mulliniks grounded a single up the middle but Myers whiffed. Lee singled to center and a sinkhole appeared in the infield, nearly sucking Jody Reed in while. Jody was pulled to safety and the hole was filled in. When play resumed, Wilson lined out to short to end the inning.
Clemens responded with a clean bottom of the third inning. Alomar grounded out to second before Gruber popped up to center. Carter hit a 390 foot out to the centerfield warning track to end the inning.
The Sox mustered nothing in the top of the fourth inning as Quintana lined out to short to begin. Pena and Naehring both flied out to center to end the inning. Clemens cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Olerud and Mulliniks both grounded out to first. Myers whiffed to end the inning with Clemens retiring eight batters in a row.
Steib cruised in the top of the fifth as Boggs grounded out to second to start. Reed looked at strike three on the inside corner before Greenwell popped up to second to end the inning. Clemens continued to dominate in the bottom of the fifth as Lee whiffed on a ball down and in to begin. Wilson grounded out to third before White struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jim Acker came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Clark whiffed to begin. Burks looked at strike three on the outside corner before Brunansky grounded out to third to end the inning. Clemens continued to cruise in the bottom of the sixth as Alomar grounded out to second to begin. Gruber grounded out to short and Carter lined out to third to end the inning.
Nothing happened in the top of the seventh as Quintana grounded out to third to start. Pena whiffed and Naehring grounded out to third to end the inning. Clemens ran into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh although Olerud grounded out to first to start. Mulliniks grounded a single up the middle but Myers whiffed. Lee singled to center and a sinkhole appeared in the infield, nearly sucking Jody Reed in while. Jody was pulled to safety and the hole was filled in. When play resumed, Wilson lined out to short to end the inning.
The Sox got some insurance in the top of the eighth with Al Leiter now on the mound. Boggs walked and was sacrificed to second by Reed but Greenwell whiffed on a pitch way outside. Clark walked and Burks doubled Boggs home to chase Leiter. Mike Timlin made his MLB debut and walked Brunansky, but Quintana grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1.
Clemens returned for one final inning in the bottom of the eighth and he cruised. White grounded out to first, Alomar flied out to center and Gruber popped up to second to end the inning. Clemens was outstanding tossing 8 innings of 1 run ball. He scattered 6 hits and struck out 6 without walking anyone.
Timlin returned for the top of the ninth and Pena lined out to right to begin. Naehring grounded out to short but Boggs walked. Reed grounded into a force to end the inning. Jeff Gray replaced Clemens for the bottom of the ninth and got tagged immediately when Carter launched a 400,000 foot bomb to cut the lead. Olerud walked but Mulliniks flied out to left. Olerud took second on a passed ball but Myers flied out to center. Lee grounded out to second to end the game. Boston had prevailed on Opening Day with a 6-2 win.
The Good:
Wade Boggs was 1 for 2 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored.
Ellis Burks was 1 for 3, got hit with a pitch and drove in a run.
Roger Clemens was outstanding by tossing 8 innings of 1 run ball to earn the win. He scattered 6 hits and struck out 6.
The Bad:
Carlos Quintana was 0 for 4.
Tim Naehring was 0 for 3.
Jeff Gray allowed a run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Ugly:
Jody Reed was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run and scored.
Tom Brunansky was 0 for 3 but walked.
Tony Pena was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
That's a good way to start the season. A grand slam on Opening Day is always fun but now the hard part begins. The Sox took a ton of criticism for letting Mike Boddicker go and now we see if the patchwork rotation from last year can repeat the magic. Is Tom Bolton ready to turn the corner, can Greg Harris' arm hold up, can Danny Darwin be the dominant pitcher he was last year? All these questions will be answered in due time. The Blue Jays will be breathing down their necks so the Sox will need all their weapons to hold them off this season. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it two in a row against the Jays as Greg Harris makes his season debut opposite Jimmy Key at 7:00 PM at the Skydome.
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