Eck took the mound in the top of the first and began the season by getting Toby Harrah to hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Jim Norris doubled to center but Eck came back to strike out both Bobby Bonds and Andre Thornton to end the inning. Old friend Rick Wise got the start in the bottom of the first and Jerry Remy grounded out to second to start. Rick Burleson flied out to right but Fred Lynn walked. Jim Rice singled to left but Carl Yastrzemski popped up to third to end the inning.
Eck pitched a clean top of the second as Gary Alexander grounded out to second to begin. Ted Cox grounded out to short and Duane Kuiper flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox wasted a chance to crack Wise in the bottom of the second as George "Boomer" Scott walked to begin the frame but was picked off. That came into play as Alexander muffed a pop up by Jack Brohamer and Jack made the Indians pay by doubling to right. Brohamer moved to third on a grounder by Dwight Evans but Bob Montgomery looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Indians threatened in the top of the third inning although Tom Veryzer grounded out to third to begin. Horace Speed struck out but Harrah walked and stole second. Norris singled Harrah to third but Bonds whiffed to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the third as Remy singled and stole second to start. Burleson grounded back to the mound but Lynn walked. Rice then crushed a three run bomb to give the Sox the lead. Yaz flied out to left and Scott grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Eck kept pace in the top of the fourth as Thornton grounded out to third to begin. Alexander and Cox both flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brohamer flied out to right but Evans belted his first home run of the year to extend the lead. Somehow Montgomery tripled to center but Remy looked at strike three. Veryzer went OLE! on a ground ball by Burleson and Montgomery scored on the error. Lynn popped up to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-0.
There was no stopping Eck in the top of the fifth inning as Kuiper grounded out to third to begin. Veryzer popped up to short but Speed walked. Harrah grounded out to third to end the inning. The Sox were finally tamed in the bottom of the fifth as Rice whiffed to start before Yaz popped up to second. Scott grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Eck got in trouble in the top of the sixth as Norris walked and stole second to begin. Bonds popped up to third but Thornton walked. Alexander popped up tp short but Norris took third on a wild pitch. Cox flied out to center to end the inning. Wise came out briefly in the bottom of the sixth but Brohamer chased him with a triple. Victor Cruz replaced Wise but Evans whiffed. Montgomery singled home Brohamer to add to the lead. Remy popped up to left and Burleson whiffed to end the inning but it was 6-0 Sox.
Eckersley came back for one more inning in the top of the seventh and Kuiper grounded out to second to start. Veryzer walked but was erased on the force by Speed. Harrah grounded out to third to end the inning. Eckersley was outstanding in tossing 7 shut-out innings allowing just 2 hits while striking out 4. Lynn wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot to begin the frame. Rice whiffed but Yaz singled only to be erased on a strike em out, throw em out double play by Scott to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-0.
Dick Drago got the call to pitch the top of the eighth and Norris watched strike three go by to start. Bonds whiffed and Thornton grounded out to short to end the inning. Sid Monge took over for the bottom of the eighth and Brohamer nearly went yard but was robbed at the wall in right. Evans popped up to first but Montgomery doubled to left. Remy whiffed to end the inning.
Drago came back to finish off the game but was tagged in the top of the ninth. Alexander walked and Remy went OLE! on a ground ball by Cox. Kuiper lined out to center as both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Veryzer singled home Alexander and Wayne Cage pinch hit for Speed...only to bang into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won Opening Day going away 7-1.
Hero of the night is Dennis Eckersley. With everyone on offense contributing, Eck gave them the cushion with 7 shutout innings where he allowed 2 hits and 5 walks while striking out 4.
The Good:
Fred Lynn was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored including a solo home run.
Jim Rice was 2 for 4 with a 3 run home run.
Jack Brohamer was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Bob Montgomery was 3 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
The Bad:
Rick Burleson was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Jerry Remy was just 1 for 5 with an error but stole a base and scored a run
Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 4.
George Scott was 0 for 3 with a walk.
Dwight Evans was just 1 for 4 but the hit was a solo home run.
Bob Stanley allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Final Thoughts:
Nothing like a win on Opening Day to start the year off right. Virtually nothing went right last year beginning with the collapse and ending with the departures of Luis Tiant and Bill Lee. Whether Steve Renko can replace Lee's production is up in the air but losing the beloved Tiant is going to hurt. Still, a win is a win and there's 161 games to go to find out what this team is made of. Eck looked great and the offense was clicking so hopefully they can keep this up all year. After an off-day the Sox are back in action Saturday afternoon in Cleveland against these same Indians. Mike Torrez makes his season debut for Boston opposite Rick Waits of Cleveland at 3:00 PM Eastern Time at Cleveland Stadium.
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