Bard gets banged around in Opening Day loss
Adrian notches two hits, three RBIs; Papi swats first homer
By Ian Browne / MLB.com | Friday Apr 1, 2011
BOS@TEX: Adrian drills a two-run single up the middleIt was a rare bad outing for Bard, who has been mostly dominant since joining Boston's bullpen in May 2009.
Down, 5-4, and just four outs from defeat, Ortiz temporarily revived Boston by crushing a game-tying solo homer to center against Rangers lefty Darren Oliver. It was home run No. 350 for Ortiz. Against lefties last season, Ortiz hit just two homers.
Though Bard took the loss, he was hardly the lone culprit.
Drawing the first Opening Day start of his career, Jon Lester was not sharp, surrendering a career-high three home runs. He failed to register a strikeout for just the second time in his career.
Making his debut in a Boston uniform, Carl Crawford struck out three times. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston's other hyped newcomer, had a far better opening chapter, producing two hits and three RBIs.
The Red Sox had some fortune at the outset, as Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a fly ball to right-center that Nelson Cruz and Julio Borbon converged on, only to have it drop, with Borbon being charged with a two-base error. Kevin Youkilis gave Boston its first lead -- and run -- of the season on a two-out RBI double to right. Gonzalez came up next and opened his Red Sox career with an RBI single to right to give Lester a 2-0 lead before he threw a pitch.
As it turned out, Lester needed plenty of run support. The Rangers got one back quickly, as Ian Kinsler hit the lefty's second pitch over the wall in left for a solo homer. Cruz smoked a Lester fastball for a solo shot to left in the second, trying the game at 2.
This time, it was Rangers starter C.J. Wilson who couldn't keep the momentum. Ellsbury again got things started for the Sox in the third, this time with a leadoff double to right. Dustin Pedroia roped a single to left, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. With the bases loaded and one out, Gonzalez smacked a two-run single up the middle, and Lester had his two-run lead back at 4-2. Gonzalez surprised the Rangers by stealing second, just the second theft in his career. He didn't wind up scoring.
Again, the lead was not enough for Lester. The Rangers got a two-out three-run blast from Mike Napoli in the fourth to go in front for the first time at 5-4.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brownie Points, and follow him on Twitter @IanMBrowne. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs
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