Cleveland Indians @ Oakland A’s: Season Opening Live Blog

March 31, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; General view of O.co Coliseum with the tarp on the field in rain before an opening day baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Cleveland Indians. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Discuss Cleveland Indians vs. Oakland A’s, Live

The Cleveland Indians open up the 2014 season tonight when they take on the Oakland Athletics at the O.co Coliseum, formerly known as Oakland Coliseum. First pitch is scheduled for 10:05 pm.

Taking the mound for the Indians will be their ace, Justin Masterson. In 2013, Masterson posted a 14-10 record with a 3.45 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and .624 OPS. He also posted a career high 9.09 K/9 and earned his first trip to the All-Star game. As for the A’s, they will counter with Sonny Gray. Gray is making his first career Opening Day start in his first full big league season. In 10 starts and 12 appearances in 2013, Gray went 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. As one of the tp pitching prospects in baseball, a lot is expected of Sonny Gray heading into 2014.

Tonight’s lineups for the first game of the season are as follows:

Cleveland               Oakland

1. Nyjer Morgan, CF                   1. Coco Crisp, CF
2. Nick Swisher, 1B                    2. Josh Donaldson, 3B
3. Jason Kipnis, 2B                    3. Jed Lowrie, SS
4. Carlos Santana, 3B               4. Brandon Moss, DH
5. Michael Brantley, LF             5. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
6. Ryan Raburn, DH                  6. John Jaso, C
7. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS          7. Josh Reddick, RF
8. Daniel Murphy, RF                8. Daric Barton, 1B
9. Yan Gomes, C                        9. Eric Sogard, 2B

If you are watching the game, feel free to add your thoughts and opinions in the comments below. I will also be commenting so please, feel free to interact. This post will also be updated as the game progresses outlining highlights and key moments from the first game of the season.

Source:

• The Indians had such a huge opportunity in the first inning and couldn’t capitalize. Two runners on base, no one out, and Sonny Gray on the ropes and they couldn’t get the hit they needed to break the game open. Meanwhile, Gray looked much better in the second inning and appears to have settled in. The one saving grace, his pitch count is already at 48 pitches. If the Indians keep up their patient approach, this could be a short outing for him. As for Masterson, he looks great so far.
• Through the first three innings, the A’s and Indians are deadlocked at 0-0. Justin Masterson is pitching great and Sonny Gray has settled in after a rocky first inning. One point worth mentioning, Carlos Santana made a play on an infield pop-up. It served as proof that Carlos Santana playing third base really is happening. It’s not a figment of our imaginations.
• In the top of the fourth, the Indians had a great opportunity to score and couldn’t get the job done. Santana walked to lead things off and Brantley doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. Raburn struck out, Cabrera swung at the first pitch, grounded to the pitcher and Santana got caught in a run down, and then Murphy grounded out weakly to end the inning. It was about as bad as it sounds. Probably worse. Meanwhile, Masterson continues to mow down the A’s.
• The Indians get another great opportunity and can’t get a run across the plate. In more important news, we got to see the chaos that the new home plate collision rule will bring to the game. Trerry Francona challenged whether or not John Jaso was blocking the plate. He might have been… maybe. Who knows? What you can see, though, is that catchers aren’t just going to stop blocking the plate. They’ve been playing one way for years. They aren’t going to suddenly stop blocking it. That’s instinctive.
• The Indians have finally found their way into the A’s bullpen, but it hasn’t mattered much. They still haven’t been able to push a run across the plate. Meanwhile, Masterson just completed his seventh inning of work. The A’s have had no answers for him. Whereas the Indians have had more than their fair share of scoring opportunities, the A’s have had no chances to push runs across the board. The Indians have stranded 8 runners, the A’s have stranded only 4.
• The Indians go into their bullpen and disaster nearly strikes. Cody Allen gives up a 400 foot single to Josh Donaldson off the top of the wall in center. Daric Barton didn’t run, so he didn’t score. Allen then retired the next two batters to end the inning.
• The Indians finally broke through. A sac fly from Nyjer Morgan and an RBI single from Nick Swisher has the Indians up 2-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth. New closer John Axford is on his way into the game to close this one out.
• John Axford’s first outing as an Indians is a little shaky, but he gets the job done. After walking two guys, Axford retires the side to end the game and give the Indian a 2-0 victory.