#432---BOS @ NYA, 4/3/2005

 

A number of oddities stand out at the jump for this major league season opener. The defending world champion Red Sox. Randy Johnson pitching for the Yankees. David Wells pitching for the Red Sox. Rueben Sierra batting cleanup for the Yankees. 

New York got four runs in 4 2/3 innings off Wells while Johnson started his Yankee career looking like he might still be in Cy Young form, going six innings and allowing one run on five hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Hideki Matsui was the game’s standout hitter, going 3-5 with a homer and three runs scored and driven in (one of those runs scored coming on a Wells balk in the third). 

#431---CLE @ CIN, 3/27/2004

This is a Grapefruit League Indians/Reds matchup, something much less common than their frequent Cactus League tilts as co-tenants. The Tribe did not take many regulars to Sarasota and were knocked around 10-2, the worst element being an Ernie Young throwing error that turned Wily Mo Pena’s pinch-hit triple into a little league homer.  

#430---CLE @ KC, 4/4/2003

 

The Royals got four runs off Jason Davis in the third and another tally in the fourth, which was all they would need. The Indians bullpen (Billy Traber, three innings in his MLB debut and Chad Paranto, two innings) shut out the Royals, whose offense consisted of eight singles and five walks. The Indians were stymied by Chris George for 6 2/3 innings, and didn’t do much against their bullpen either, although Matt Lawton did double for the game’s only extra-base hit.

#429---CLE @ DET, 4/7/2002

CC Sabathia took a no-hit bid into the eighth, but Randall Simon lined the first pitch of the inning into center and later scored on an Andre Torres single, Detroit’s only run of the game. They did load the bases with one out in the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate, but Bob Wickman was summoned and got Simon to ground into a double play.

There were four total triples into the spacious Comerica gaps, with the Indians getting them from Matt Lawton, Milton Bradley, and the unlikely Jim Thome.

#428---BAL @ CLE, 4/7/2001

Bartolo Colon (8 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 3 W, 5 K, 101 pitches) and Pat Hentgen (8 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 0 W, 3 K, 107 pitches) were both in fine early season form, and this game went to extras knotted at two. Both teams had chances in the tenth, as Baltimore loaded the bases with two outs before David Segui hit into a fielder’s choice. Cleveland used two walks and a Jerry Hairston error to load them with one out, but Ellis Burks was gunned out at the plate trying to make Jolbert Cabrera’s fly a game-winning sacrifice. In the tenth, Greg Myers doubled home two with a grounder down the right field line off Steve Reed. Obscure Baltimore reliever Ryan Kohlmeier issued two walks to bring Ellis Burks to the plate as the winning run. Burks to this point was 3-3 with a walk (his two run homer had provided the only Tribe tallies), but he struck out to end it.