CLEVELAND — The Boston Red Sox split their two games in what was supposed to be a three-game season-opening series in Cleveland against the Indians. Two of the three games were postponed, although the Opening Day game was played the next day. So following Thursday’s postponement, the Red Sox flew to Toronto with a record of 1-1, and a lot to be optimistic about.
The Red Sox will open the three game series in Toronto having scored 12 runs and hitting .288 as a team in splitting their two games in Cleveland. The Red Sox got some big performances from multiple hitters, starting with 40-year-old David Ortiz, who homered in both games, and came close to hitting two more home runs. Ortiz was 3-for-9 in the series, with a double and two homers in looking nothing like a player beginning the last season of his career.
“David doesn’t look like he’s slowing down at all,” said Red Sox manager John Farrell.
It was an explosive start from a veteran slugger, who had a fairly quiet spring training, hitting just .178. But as Ortiz said after hitting a home run on Opening Day, “When the lights go on, Papi goes on.”
Hanley Ramirez, making the transition to first base, was so-far, so-good defensively, while offensively it was a so-far, so-hot start. Ramirez was 4-for-8, with a home run in Cleveland. “Hanley’s in a good spot offensively, and he’s been there since training camp,” said Farrell.
Travis Shaw, whose father Jeff pitched for the Indians in the early 1990s, tormented his father’s former team, hitting .429 (3-for-7) in the two games, while Brock Holt was 4-for-8 with a home run.
On the down side, Xavier Bogaerts was 0-for-9 in Cleveland, No.2 starter Clay Buchholz gave up five runs on six hits, including a three-run home run, and three walks in four innings in his 2016 debut, and reliever Junichi Tazawa gave up a late home run that was the difference in a 7-6 loss to the Indians on Wednesday.
Now comes three games in Toronto, against the AL East rival Blue Jays. The two teams had a very competitive season series in 2015, with the Sox holding a narrow 10-9 edge in the 19 games. Joe Kelly, Rick Porcello and Steven Wright will start the three games for the Red Sox.