All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 10-9 loss to the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Walks haunt Red Sox: It's hard to win games when your pitchers issue nine walks -- which is what the Red Sox did in Thursday's opener. The nine walks were the most for the Sox on Opening Day since 1966, when they also had nine walks. Corey Kluber, recognized as a consistent strike-thrower, was off his game Thursday, with an uncharacteristic four walks in just 3.1 innings. But the real trouble came in the middle innings as both Zack Kelly and Ryan Brasier walked two each while the Orioles spread their lead out with four in the fourth and three more runs in the fifth. Of the six Red Sox pitchers utilized in the defeat, just two didn't issue any walks. Three of the walks directly led to runs scored.
Yoshida makes strong debut: Making his MLB debut, Japanese outfielder Masatake Yoshida had a strong game. The Red Sox were attracted to his on-base skills and he showed off that skill set Thursday, reaching base three times in five plate appearances. He was hit by a pitch in the fourth, collected his first MLB hit in the sixth with a sharp grounder off the glove of Baltimore second baseman Adam Kennedy, which produced a run. In the eighth, he singled again, this time moving a runner from first to third and eventually coming around to score. He handled his chances in left field well and made a couple of nice throws from the outfield, validating Alex Cora's belief late in spring training that Yoshida would be a better defender than some projected.
Devers falls victim to pitch clock: Thursday was the first day in which Major League Baseball instituted the pitch clock in regular season games and it had an impact on Rafael Devers in the eighth inning. Leading off the bottom of the inning, Devers already had two strikes on him when home plate umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Devers hadn't addressed Baltimore reliever Bryan Baker -- or shown himself to be ready for the next pitch -- and rang him on a called third strike. "I didn't get any explanation at all,'' said Devers. "It's part of the new rules and we have to (adjust).'' There were two other pitch clock violations over the course of the afternoon -- with Red Sox reliever Chris Martin charged with a ball and the O's Austin Hays assessed a strike -- but neither resulted in the end of an at-bat as was the case with Devers.
TURNING POINT
In the fourth inning, the Orioles had opened a 5-1 lead over the Sox. In the bottom of the inning, it seemed as though the Sox were poised to get back into the game with a run already in and the bases loaded and just one out. But Christian Arroyo hit into an inning-ending double play, robbing the Sox of any momentum and an opportunity to climb back into the game.
TWO UP
Alex Verdugo: Chosen as the leadoff hitter du jour, Verdugo energized the crowd with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first inning, later crossing the plate with the first Red Sox run of the season. He also singled in the ninth inning and scored as the Red Sox staged a late rally.
Justin Turner: One of many Red Sox newcomers making his debut, Turner reached base three times with two singles and a walk while scoring two runs and knocking in another.
TWO DOWN
Kiké Hernandez: Hernandez was hitless in three plate appearances and oddly, was lifted for a pinch-hitter when his turn came up leading off the bottom of the ninth. He was also charged with a throwing error at short.
Ryan Brasier: Brasier, whose presence on the roster has mystified many, did not begin his season on a positive note. He allowed three runs in the fifth inning, allowing two walks, one hit batsman and three stolen bases.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The defeat was the third straight Opening Day loss for the Red Sox while manager Alex Cora fell to 0-5 in home openers.
* The four walks issued by starter Corey Kluber tied a career high.
* Alex Verdugo became the third player in Red Sox history to triple in the team's first plate appearance of a season and the first to record an extra-base hit in the team's first plate appearance of the year since Jose Offerman doubled on Opening Day in 1999.
* Triston Casas had his fifth career multi-RBI game.
* The Sox allowed five stolen bases in five attempts by the Orioles.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We got exposed a little bit there today, but it's something we're going to take some pride in and get better at.'' - Catcher Reese McGuire on the five stolen bases by the Orioles.
UP NEXT:
After a day off Friday, the Red Sox and Orioles resume their series Saturday with the middle game of the set at 4:10 p.m. with LHP Chris Sale facing RHP Dean Kremer.