By TERRY LYONS
BOSTON – Cleveland pinch hitter Will Brennan pulled an 87 mph slider straight down the right field line at Fenway Park and it travelled 387 feet for a two out, two run homer. It was Brennan’s first of the season and gave the Guardians a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning of today’s 11:13am Patriots’ Day matinee. It was all they’d need as Cleveland went on to win 6-0 shut-out victory.
The annual early game, drawing 33,008 fans, coincides each year with the running of the Boston Marathon and comes on a holiday in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Cleveland scored two insurance runs in the top of the eighth inning when Jose Ramirez hit a riccochet grounder, deflected by Sox 1B Tristan Casas and dribbling past 2B Emmanuel Valdez. The grounder made its way to right field, scoring Guardians’ SS Brayan Rocchio from third.
Sox RF Wilyer Abreu misfielded and forced a misguided throw which scored LF Steven Kwan. The play was judged an error and Rocchio’s run was earned but Kwan’s run scored was deemed unearned.
The Guardians continued to score runs in pairs, tallying two more insurance runs in the visiting ninth. The key hits were a double by Cleveland No. 8 hitter in 3B Gabriel Arias to score Brennan and an RBI single by No. 9 hitter Rocchio to score Arias who had previously stolen third base.
The first five innings of the game produced quite a pitcher’s duel as Cleveland’s SP Xzavion Curry threw a two hitter with one walk and a strike-out while Boston starter Kutter Crawford tossed 5.2 innings of shut-out ball, allowing only two hits and no walks. He struck out six Guardians while throwing 92 pitches and 63 strikes.
Boston was held to three hits on the day while Cleveland knocked the Sox bullpen around and recorded nine hits.
Cleveland reliever Tim Herrin earned the win (1-0) while Boston’s Brennan Bernadino (0-1) was charged with the loss.