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Red Sox 6, Indians 2: Ryan Lewis' 8 Walk-off Thoughts from Tuesday’s frigid Opening Day loss

Here are eight Walk-off thoughts on the Indians’ 6-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox in what was the coldest season-opening game in recorded franchise history.

1. Goodness gracious it was cold. It was 34-degrees at first pitch. The closest temperature in recorded franchise history to start a season was 36-degrees in 1907. Kudos to all the fans that showed up during a weekday, at 1:10 p.m., on short notice, in that weather. It’s often cold in Cleveland at the beginning of the baseball season, but this was an extreme example of it.

2. Several players after the game acknowledged how cold it was, and how tough it can be to play in those conditions. But they also recognized that both teams play in the same conditions, and it’s no excuse. Said Jason Kipnis, “Both teams are doing it. Both teams are going through it. It’s part of the game. Part of baseball. If you want to play late in October, it’s going to be cold [then], too. So you get used to it and battle through it.”

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3. Corey Kluber was good, but not quite his usual self. He tried to throw Mookie Betts a fastball down-and-away to induce a ground ball and instead placed it over the middle. Betts belted it for a two-run home run. Then, in the sixth, the Red Sox rattled off three straight singles. On a frigid day and facing Red Sox ace (and $200-plus million man) David Price, that was going to be enough.

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4. Am not going to get into the validity of the question, or if it was warranted, because that could take up a lot of space here, but Kluber responded curtly to a question when asked how he thought he pitched. It was quite a bit of emotion from the normally stoic Kluber. Said Kluber, “Are you writing an opinion column on it? I'll answer a question about the game, but my opinion on something? Let's go a different direction there.”



5. It wasn’t a great day for Indians debuts. Among the five new veterans in the lineup, Rajai Davis, Mike Napoli, Marlon Byrd, Juan Uribe and Collin Cowgill combined to go 1-for-15 with 12 strikeouts, two walks and an RBI. Tyler Naquin also made his MLB debut and struck out. Napoli, in particular, was called out on strikes his last three plate appearances and was visibly upset with each strike-three call. Then again, those stats pop up occasionally with Price.

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6. Trevor Bauer entered in the ninth inning out of the bullpen, and that one inning of work encapsulated all of his 2015 issues. He walked the first batter he faced and then began challenging David Ortiz with fastballs. Ortiz took a big swing on one and missed. The next pitch was the same, but the result was reversed—Ortiz crushed it for a two-run home run. Hanley Ramirez then nearly went back-to-back, driving a ball off the top of the right-field wall.

MORE: Indians-Red Sox box score

7. Of anything that happened Tuesday, that ninth inning might have been the most interesting. Bauer is a pitcher, right now, without a clear path. The Indians say they envision Bauer making a meaningful number of starts this season, but they also like Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin. Anderson has options, though, which could open the door. But Bauer’s two key issues last season—walks and home runs—welcomed him to 2016.

8. According to weather.com, the high on Wednesday is 57—and there’s a 50-percent chance of rain and wind gusts as high as 50 mph. There’s a reason Terry Francona won’t put his starting rotation order down in Sharpie for the first month of the season.


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