Viola got the ball in the top of the first inning and Tony Phillips grounded out to short to start. Juan Samuel walked but Eric Davis popped up to first. Cecil Fielder flied out to center to end the inning. David Wells got the start for the Tigers and Otis Nixon greeted him with a comebacker to start the bottom of the first. Tim Naehring flied out to center and Mike Greenwell grounded out to first to end the inning.
Travis Fryman lined out to third to start the top of the second before Alan Trammell hit one up the elevator shaft. Mickey Tettleton flied out to right to end the inning. Mo Vaughn led off the bottom of the second by striking out swinging and Andre Dawson flied out to right. John Valentin flied out to center to end the inning.
Danny Bautista singled down the first base line to start the top of the third but was thrown out trying to steal Chad Kreuter lined out to center and Phillips popped up to second to end the inning. Dave Valle flied out to right to start the bottom of the third and Lee Tinsley flied out to center. Scott Fletcher also flied out to center to end the inning.
The Tigers mauled Viola in the top of the fourth as Samuel popped up to first to start. Davis walked and somehow Fielder tripled into the right field corner to score him. Fryman doubled home Fielder and Trammell blooped a single over the head of Fletcher to put runners at the corners. Tettleton took strike three but Bautista singled to left to score Fryman and Kreuter walked to load the bases. Phillips grounded into a force at third to end the inning but it was 3-0 Tigers.
The Sox answered right back in the bottom of the fourth as Nixon caught Wells asleep with a bunt single and Naehring got a base hit to left. Greenwell pounded his first home run of the year to tie the game and Vaughn singled in the hole at second. Dawson doubled off the Monster and Valentin walked to load the bases, but Valle took strike three. Tinsley banged into a double play to end the inning but it was tied 3-3.
The Tigers quickly chased Viola in the top of the fifth as Samuel singled in the hole at short to start. Davis flied out to right but Fielder walked to chase Viola. He was rusty as hell as he allowed 3 runs in 4 1/3 innings. Ricky Trilicek made his Red Sox debut by striking out both Fryman and Trammell to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fifth as Fletcher grounded out to second to start. Nixon also grounded out to second and Naehring grounded out to third to end the inning.
Tettleton struck out swinging to begin the top of the sixth and Bautista popped up to second. Kreuter grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the sixth although Greenwell grounded out to second to start. Vaughn grounded out to first but Dawson blooped a double in no mans land just over second base. Valentin was intentionally walked to get to Valle and Dave made the Tigers pay by smacking a bases clearing triple into the centerfield triangle. Tinsley popped up to first in foul territory to end the inning but it was 5-3 Red Sox.
Greg Harris came in to pitch the top of the seventh and the Tigers pounced. Phillips and Samuel struck back to back base hits but Davis beat out a double play ball. Fielder forced Davis at second but Phillips scored to cut the lead. Fryman struck out looking to end the inning with the Tigers down 5-4.
Joe Boever came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Fletcher struck out swinging to start. Nixon popped up to left and Naehring popped up to first to end the inning.
Scott Cooper took over at third for Naehring to start the top of the eighth and Trammell flied out to left to start. Tettleton grounded out to second and Kirk Gibson pinch hit for Bautista. There would be no 1988 World Series repeat as Kirk grounded out to second to end the inning. Greenwell popped up to first to start the bottom of the eighth before Vaughn grounded out to second. Dawson popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning.
Sox closer Jeff Russell took the mound to start the top of the ninth and Junior Felix pinch hit for Kreuter. Felix flied out to left but Phillips beat out a roller to third to put the tying run on and Lou Whitaker pinch hit for Samuel. Whitaker banged into a double play to end the game. The Sox had won it 5-4.
The Good:
Andre Dawson was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
John Valentin walked twice and scored a run in 3 plate appearances.
Ricky Trilicek got the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Jeff Russell earned his second save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Lee Tinsley was 0 for 3.
Scott Fletcher was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Frank Viola was tagged for 3 runs in 4 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Otis Nixon was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Tim Naehring was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Mike Greenwell was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a 3 run homer.
Mo Vaughn was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Greg Harris allowed a run in 2 innings of work.
Honorable Mention:
Scott Cooper played third base in the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
Starting the season 2-0 is better than starting 0-2 or 1-1 for that matter. Viola didn't look good at all but the bats and bullpen picked him up. Trilicek and Russell didn't give an inch and Valle getting that triple was the difference in the game. Good to see Greenwell start the season with some power with his first home run. Also good to see Andre Dawson get it going early as well, the Sox are gonna need his power and hopefully his knees hold up this season. Apart from Viola there wasn't much to sneeze about in this one. New Sox GM Dan Duquette has a lot of work to do to fix a roster that's finished under .500 two years in a row but so far so good. The Sox look for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon with the Tigers when Danny Darwin makes his season debut opposite Tim Belcher of Detroit. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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