There is plenty for the new-look Boston Red Sox to feel good about heading into the second contest of a four-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.
The Red Sox earned a 5-2 Thursday win, starting on a high note for the second straight season.
Wilyer Abreu hit a deciding three-run shot in the ninth inning to cap a two-homer, 3-for-3 performance. New ace Garrett Crochet dealt five solid innings (two runs, five hits) in his Boston debut, and three relievers allowed just two hits over four scoreless innings.
“Good at-bats, 3-2 counts. We battled, we took our walks, and then (Abreu) had the big game,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We struck out (13 times). The pitch mix by (Texas’ Nathan Eovaldi) was different than we expected. We kept fighting, and the two big swings were huge.”
The owner of the top slugging percentage among qualifying American League rookies last season, Abreu became the first Red Sox player to go deep twice on Opening Day since Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez in 2015.
“It’s a very important day to win because it’s the first one,” Abreu said.
Looking to follow Crochet’s debut will be Tanner Houck, who was one of the best starting pitchers in the American League last season. He posted a 9-10 record with a 3.12 ERA.
Like Abreu (1-for-20), Houck had a tough spring. The 28-year-old finished with an 11.20 ERA in 13 2/3 tune-up innings after allowing 10 earned runs last Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
“Obviously, the results (stink), I’ll be the first one to say it,” Houck said. “I feel healthy and strong, and that’s all you can take from it. … It just comes down to executing a little bit finer. All in all, ready for the start of the season.”
Houck is 0-1 with a 5.74 ERA in three career starts against Texas.
There were positives on Thursday on the Rangers’ side, too, particularly from Eovaldi, who struck out nine over six innings of three-hit ball. Eovaldi, however, allowed his former team to erase 1-0 and 2-1 leads a half-inning after they were established.
Robert Garcia and Chris Martin combined for two innings of scoreless relief, but Luke Jackson was tagged for the final runs.
“I think we’re going to win most of those games,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “When you look at this bullpen, this is kind of how we had it mapped out.”
Right-hander Jack Leiter (0-3, 8.83 ERA last season) falls next in the injury-riddled Texas rotation, which also includes fellow Vanderbilt product Kumar Rocker. Leiter will make his first career start against Boston on Friday.
“At Vandy that last year, I don’t think we ever could have imagined that this would be happening — same team, same rotation, Opening Day roster. It’s awesome,” Leiter said.
The third-ranked Rangers’ prospect, according to MLB.com, Leiter, 24, had a scare on Opening Day as he was hit on the head during batting practice. He returned to the field quickly after an evaluation.
The Rangers out-hit the Red Sox 7-6, with Josh Jung and Kevin Pillar each recording two singles.
Pillar aims to build on a strong Texas debut. The 36-year-old center fielder, who initially planned on retirement, cracked the roster despite signing a minor league deal last month.
“I think for me, that’s a perfect place for me to be,” Pillar said. “I just go out, do my job, be one of nine guys and not be so concerned about what I did, but how I can help this team win games.”
–Field Level Media
