Kansas City ace Kevin Appier took the mound in the top of the first inning. Scott Fletcher grounded out to third. Billy Hatcher jacked one deep out to left but was robbed at the wall in left field. Mike Greenwell flied out to center to end the inning. Sox ace Roger Clemens took the hill in the bottom of the first inning and Keith Miller got the first hit of the game with an infield hit to short. Clemens got Wally Joyner looking and Miller was erased on the force by George Brett. Felix Jose walked but Brent Mayne whiffed to end the inning.
Andre Dawson flied out to left to open the top of the second inning and Mo Vaughn grounded out to third. Ivan Calderon and Scott Cooper worked back to back walks but Tony Pena grounded out to second to end the inning. Clemens got Harold McReynolds flied out to right to open the bottom of the second as Brian McRae grounded out to second. Jose Lind struck out to end the inning.
Appier dominated the top of the third inning. Luis Rivera tried to bunt his way on but was thrown out by Appier. Fletcher grounded out to third and Hatcher flied out to left to end the inning. The Royals struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Greg Gagne grounded out to first and Miller flied out to center, but Joyner doubled. The age-less Brett doubled home Joyner to give Kansas City the lead. Jose grounded out to first but the Royals led 1-0.
Ricco Rossy took over for Miller to begin the top of the fourth inning as Greenwell flied out to right and Dawson grounded out to short. Vaughn got the first hit of the season for the Sox with a single to center, but Calderon struck out to end the inning. Mayne greeted Clemens with a single to open the bottom of the fourth and broke for home on the double by McReynolds. Greenwell fired to Rivera who slung the ball home......YER OUT! A huge run was saved which was big as McRae walked. McRae was erased at second on a force by Lind and Gagne grounded out to end the inning with no damage done.
Moved by the defensive effort, the Sox took the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Cooper and Pena both grounded out to short but Rivera doubled. Fletcher walked and Hatcher beat out an infield single to third to load the bases. Greenwell then cleared the bases with a scintillating triple to give the Sox the lead. Dawson struck out but it was 3-1 Red Sox.
Could Clemens pitch with the lead in the bottom of the fifth? YES! Rossy struck out as Joyner flied out to left. Brett walked but Jose grounded out to second to end the inning.
Appier came back for the top of the sixth and Vaughn lined out to first to start. Calderon got his first hit of the year by beating out an infield single to third. Cooper flied out to center but Pena singled in the hole at second base. Rivera walked to load the bases but Fletcher grounded out to end the inning. Clemens kept up the pace in the bottom of the sixth as he got Mayne to ground out to short to begin. McReynolds flied out to right and McRae grounded to first to end the inning.
That was it for Appier as Tom Gordon was brought in to pitch the top of the seventh inning. Hatcher and Greenwell worked back to back walks but Dawson flied out and Vaughn banged into a double play to end the threat. Clemens stayed strong in the bottom of the seventh as he got Lind to lined to first to start. Gagne grounded out to short and Rossy grounded out to second to end the inning.
Gordon came back for the top of the ninth and Rivera drew a walk. Fletched dropped down a sac bunt to move Luis to second but Hatcher lined out to short. Greenwell walked but Dawson flied out to left to end the inning. Sox closer Jeff Russell took the mound in the bottom of the ninth to close the game out with Bob Zupcic now in left field. McReynolds flied to right and McRae hit a comebacker to Russell for the second out. Lind grounded out to second to end the game. The Sox had taken Opening Day on the road behind Roger Clemens 3-1.
Hero of the Night is Mike Greenwell. His 3 run triple proved to be the difference in the game and he saved a run by getting a runner thrown out a home.
The Good:
Ivan Calderon was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Luis Rivera was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, a run scored and threw out a runner at the plate.
Roger Clemens was outstanding, tossing 8 innings of 1 run ball while striking out 5.
Jeff Russell earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
The Bad:
Andre Dawson was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Scott Fletcher was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Billy Hatcher was just 1 for 4 but, but walked and scored.
Mo Vaughn was just 1 for 4.
Scott Cooper was 0 for 3 but walked.
Tony Pena was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Bob Zupcic played left field in the top of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Always good to start the year off on the right foot and the Boston Red Sox did. Clemens and Russell looked solid on the mound and hopefully the inclusion of Calderon and Dawson into the offense will generate a lot more than the 1992 edition did. There's a long way to go and the Sox have a lot of work to do but a win is a win. After an off-day, Frank Viola makes his season debut Wednesday night opposite David Cone of the Kansas City Royals at 7:30 PM in Kansas City.
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