Ponson got the ball in the top of the first inning and Johnny Damon grounded out to short to start the season. Bill Mueller also grounded out to short but Manny Ramirez lined a base hit to right for the first hit of the season. David Ortiz swung and missed for strike three to end the inning. Pedro got the ball in the bottom of the first and Ryan Roberts grounded out to short to start. Mevin Mora hit a squeaker to Mueller who threw high to first for an infield single. Miguel Tejada popped up to Damon and Rafael Palmeiro dumped a base hit over the head of Mueller into left. Mora tried to take third with Mueller out of position but Pokey Reese made a heads up play to cover the bag. Manny's throw was on time and Mora was out despite his protests to end the inning.
Kevin Millar led off the top of the second inning by grounded out to short to start. Gabe Kapler hit one under the glove of Mora for an error but was thrown out at second on the Jason Varitek strikeout to end the inning. The O's struck first in the bottom of the second when Javy Lopez hit a home run all the way to the Mississippi River to give Baltimore the lead. The floodgates opened as Jay Gibbons singled past the diving Millar and swiped second. Pedro drilled David Segui in response to something that happened weeks earlier in Spring Training then Larry Bigbie hit a routine grounder to Pedro. Pedro then turned and threw the ball completely out of Camden Yards for an error to score Gibbons. Sox analyst Jerry Remy pointed out Pedro's velocity was down to 90 mph and Luis Matos singled home Segui to ice the game. Matos swiped second but Roberts went down hacking. Pedro got Mora to swing at air and Tejeda flew out to the centerfield warning track to end the inning with the O's up 3-0.
Mark Bellhorn made his Red Sox debut in the top of the third by flying out to the centerfield wall. Pokey Reese made his belated Sox debut by drawing a walk. Damon hit a swinging bunt to the mound but was called out for running inside the line. Reese had to go back to first but Mueller blooped a single to left. Ramirez lined one off of Ponson into center to score Reese with the Sox' first run of the season. Ortiz popped up to Mora to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
Pedro settled down in the bottom of the third as Palmeiro flied out to the right field warning track to start. Lopez hit one off the glove of Pedro over to third base for an infield single but Gibbons banged into a double play to end the inning.
Millar flied out to the centerfield warning track to start the top of the fourth but Kapler poked a base hit by the diving Roberts. Varitek broke his bat on a pop up to Tejada but Bellhorn doubled into the right field corner. For some dumb reason Reese tried to bunt his way on but Ponson snuffed it out to end the inning. Who the hell called THAT play? Martinez cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Segui popped up to second to start. Bigbie grounded out to second and Matos went down swinging for a 9 pitch inning by Pedro.
Damon grounded out to second to start the top of the fifth but Mueller poked a seeing eye single to short. Sox analyst Don Orsillo said Jerry Remy looked terrific but Ramirez lined out to center. Ortiz was plunked in retaliation for Segui but Millar whiffed to end the inning. Roberts grounded out to short to start the bottom of the fifth before Mora took strike three. Tejeda hit a little nubber down the third base line for a single and Palmeiro drew a walk, but Lopez popped up to short to end the inning.
The Sox tried to rally in the top of the sixth as Kapler drove a base hit to left to start. Varitek banged into a double play but Bellhorn and Reese drew back to back walks. That was it for Ponson as O's manager Lee Mazzilli pulled him for Rodrigo Lopez. Damon grounded out to short to end the inning. That was the fourth straight inning the Sox had left two men on. Pedro returned for the bottom of the sixth and Gibbons grounded out to short to start. Segui looked to have blooped a single over the head of Reese but Manny ran the ball down for the second out. Bigbie took strike three to end Pedro's day. The bad second inning did Pedro in as he left after giving up 3 runs (2 earned) in 6 innings.
The Sox woes with men on continued in the top of the seventh as Mueller grounded a ball up the middle for a base hit....but Manny banged into a double play. Ortiz missed a home run by about 20 feet but drew a walk. Millar lined out to center to end the inning. Mike Timlin came in to crap his pants in the bottom of the seventh although he got Matos swinging on a nasty splitter to start. Roberts walked but was thrown out at second trying to steal. Mora walked and Sox analyst Jerry Remy pointed out Timlin only walked 9 guys last year total and he's walked two tonight. Tejada sliced a base hit to right to move Mora to third and Palmeiro scored Mora with a base hit through the shift to ice the game. Lopez then hit a double over the head of both Damon & Kapler to clear the bases. That was it for Timlin as new Sox manager Terry Francona replaced himm with Alan Embree. Embree buzzed Gibbons up and in with a fastball before he flied out to center to end the inning. The O's blew it open and led 6-1.
Lopez does it again
The Sox barely rallied against Mike DeJean in the top of the eighth although Kapler popped up to first in foul territory to start. Varitek walked and Bellhorn singled to right before the returning Brian Daubach pinch hit for Reese. Daubach walked to load the bases and Cesar Crespo pinch ran for him. BJ Ryan was brought in to pitch the Damon and all Johnny could do was score Varitek by grounding out to short. Mueller grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 6-2.
Welcome back Daubach
Scott Williamson got no help from his defense in the bottom of the eighth as Segui doubled off the first base bag to start. Bigbie took strike three but Jose Bautista made his MLB debut by pinch running at second. Matos hit a routine grounder to Crespo who turned and threw the ball behind him to Manny for an error that scored Bautista. Roberts forced Matos at second and Mora also grounded to second to end the inning with the O's ahead 7-2.
Ryan returned for the top of the ninth and Manny took strike three to start. In his first game for Boston since 1992, Ellis Burks pinch hit for Ortiz and grounded out to first. Millar blooped a base hit to center and Kapler reached on a tapper to third. Varitek whiffed to end the game, the Orioles had won Opening Day 7-2.
Dammit
Jackass Timlin
Jackass of the Night is Mike Timlin. He got lit up for 3 runs in less than inning to put the game out of reach.
The Good:
Bill Mueller was 3 for 5.
Manny Ramirez was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Gabe Kapler was 3 for 5.
Mark Bellhorn was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Pokey Reese walked twice and scored a run in three plate appearances
Brian Daubach walked as a pinch hitter.
Alan Embree retired the only man he faced.
The Bad:
Ellis Burks was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Cesar Crespo made an error as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the eighth.
Scott Williamson allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth.
The Ugly:
Johnny Damon was 0 for 5 but drove in a run.
David Ortiz was 0 for 2 but walked.
Kevin Millar was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout.
Jason Varitek was 0 for 4 but walked and scored.
Pedro Martinez took the loss by allowing 3 runs in 6 innings although all 3 of them were in a bad second inning. He allowed 7 hits and struck out 5.
Final Thoughts:
Not the way the Red Sox wanted to start the season, especially coming off the heels of Game 7 against the New York Yankees last October. Pedro's velocity was down and had trouble getting his curveball over. Pedro was able to battle after the bad second inning but the Sox offense couldn't crack Sidney Ponson or Rodrigo Lopez. Leaving two men on 4 innings in a row didn't help. Timlin and Williamson allowed 4 runs combined and that can't continue. It was nice to see Daubach and especially Ellis Burks come back to the Sox. The Sox did manage to get hits in this game but couldn't get the clutch one. The offense will come this season so it shouldn't be that concerning. It was freezing out tonight so hopefully as the weather heats up, so will the team. The Sox have now lost 4 Opening Days in a row going back to the Derek Lowe disaster in 01. After an off-day Monday, Curt Schilling makes his Red Sox debut 18 years after he was drafted by the franchise. He takes on Eric DuBose of the Orioles at 3:00 PM Tuesday afternoon at Camden Yards.
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