All you need to know about the Red Sox' 3-0 loss, complete with BSJ insight and analysis:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Defense lets Sox down. From the start of spring training, manager Alex Cora vowed that improved defense would be a priority, with extra attention paid to drills to achieve that. But in Game 1, the Sox proceeded to beat themselves with some sloppy play in the field. Rafael Devers skipped a couple of throws to first base, and was saved by Bobby Dalbec, who scooped a couple of balls from the dirt. But there was no saving Kiké Hernández who arrived with the reputation of being a super defender at second. Hernandez, however, couldn't handle a hot smash in the sixth inning, and very quickly, the game went from being a scoreless tie to the Orioles scoring twice -- due, in large part, because of the error by Hernandez.
Offense shuttered: John Means is the Orioles' best starter, but the Red Sox made him look like some cross between Mike Flanagan and Scott McGregor in Friday's opener. Means allowed a leadoff single in the first, then didn't allow another hit over seven shutout innings. Spotting his changeup effectively, Means stayed out of the middle of the plate and didn't allow many hard-hit balls all afternoon. "He was in control of the whole situation,'' conceded Cora. "We didn't do much offensively. We didn't make many adjustments.'' That's an understatement -- after Devers reached on an error in the second, Means retired the last 18 hitters in succession before being lifted. Cora said as the game wore on, the Sox seemed to get caught up in the Opening Day atmosphere, trying to kickstart something offensively, only to expand the strike zone.
Eovaldi deserved better: Nathan Eovaldi allowed just one run over 5.1 innings, lifted after 89 pitches. Of the four hits against him, two never left the infield and hard-hit balls were rare. He left with one on and one out in the sixth, then watched from the dugout as the bullpen (Matt Andriese) and defense combined to hand the Orioles two runs, one of which was charged to Eovaldi. Eovaldi blamed himself for yanking pitches in the early innings, which caused his pitch count to run up. He needed 28 pitches to get out of the second, and later, that caught up to him, with 81 pitches before starting the fateful sixth. Had he been more efficient early, he might have had more left in the tank and gotten the Sox into the seventh. Still, his velocity was strong and his command (one walk) was impressive. The Sox would gladly take another 30 or so outings like this from Eovaldi -- albeit, with improved efficiency.
TURNING POINT
In the sixth inning, the Orioles had two runners on and one out when Matt Andriese got Anthony Santander to hit what looked like the perfect double play ball to Kiké Hernández at second base. But the ball was scorched and with heavy topspin, and Hernandez couldn't field it cleanly, allowing the O's to load the bases. A two-run double by Ryan Mountcastle followed, scoring two runs -- all the Orioles would need.
ONE UP
Hirokazu Sawamura: The reliever made his debut with a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit while striking out one.
TWO DOWN
Bobby Dalbec: Dalbec came to the plate in the eighth inning with two on and two out and the chance to tie the game with a big swing, but was called out on strikes on just three pitches.
Josh Taylor: The lefty faced three hitters in the top of the eighth and all three reached with three straight singles.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"It's a tough loss to swallow, but our offense is one the best in the game. Our guys aren't going to go out there and get shut out (often). We're going to go out and put up runs. Today, you just kind of forget about it and go home and get ready for tomorrow.'' -- Nathan Eovaldi.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
- The shutout loss was the first on Opening Day for the Red Sox since 1976, when they lost 1-0 -- also to Baltimore.
- Hirokazu Sawamura, who pitched a scoreless ninth, became the ninth Japanese-born player to play for the Red Sox.
- Kiké Hernández became the first Red Sox player to record a hit in the team's first plate appearance of the season since Dustin Pedroia in 2018.
- Nathan Eovaldi became the third Red Sox pitcher to allow one or no runs over five innings or more on consecutive Opening Days.
- The Sox are 0-3 on Opening Days under Cora.