Red Sox 6, Indians 2
CLEVELAND -- David Price struck out 10 in six innings and Mookie Betts and David Ortiz each belted two-run homers to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 6-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday in an Opening Day game at Progressive Field.
In a battle of former Cy Young Award winners, Price outpitched Cleveland's Corey Kluber. Price was untouchable in five of the six innings he pitched and Kluber gave up four runs in five-plus innings.
Cleveland scored two runs on four hits in the fourth inning. In the other eight innings, Price and three relievers combined to hold the Indians scoreless on one hit.
In seven career starts at Progressive Field, Price is 5-0 with a 2.77 ERA. In 14 career starts against Cleveland overall, Price is 10-2 with a 2.24 ERA.
Price quickly settled into the game and held the Indians hitless and scoreless through three innings, striking out six of the first 10 batters he faced, including four in a row at one point.
Cleveland had a chance to do some damage in the second when the first two Indians hitters drew walks. But Price retired the next three batters in order, striking out two, to pull the plug on that rally.
Kluber retired the first five batters he faced but then gave up hits to five of the next eight.
Jackie Bradley Jr. led off the third with a single to right and Betts followed with a booming home run over the left field wall to give Boston a 2-0 lead.
Price retired the side in order in the bottom of the third, but the Indians tied it with a two-run fourth. Francisco Lindor led off the inning with a single and went to second on a one-out single by Carlos Santana.
Yan Gomes rolled a single into center field, scoring Lindor to make it 2-1. Santana raced to third on Gomes' hit and scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Marlon Byrd.
The Red Sox took the lead again in the sixth, which began with consecutive singles by Hanley Ramirez, Travis Shaw and Brock Holt. Ramirez scored on Holt's hit to give Boston a 3-2 lead.
Shaw went to third on Holt's single and Shaw scored on a wild pitch by Kluber to extend the Red Sox lead to 4-2. Holt was forced out at second on a ground ball by Blake Swihart, but when Kluber walked No. 9 hitter Bradley, he was removed from the game.
Jeff Manship, in relief of Kluber, got Betts to ground into an inning-ending double play.
In 5 1/3 innings, Kluber gave up four runs and nine hits with five strikeouts and two walks. He threw 96 pitches.
Ortiz capped the Boston scoring with a two-run homer in the ninth off Trevor Bauer.
NOTES: Indians OF Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) began the season on the disabled list. There is no timetable for his return, but it could be sometime in April. "Hopefully as soon as possible. I'm champing at the bit," Brantley said. ... Only 11 of the 25 players on the Indians' Opening Day roster were on the 2015 opening roster. ... Boston DH David Ortiz, who hit 37 home runs last season, will retire at the end of this year. The major league record for most home runs in a final major league season is 35 by Dave Kingman in 1986. ... Entering this year, Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia led all active players with a .421 career batting average (16-for-38) on Opening Day (minimum 35 plate appearances).