Dateline: Browns Chapel
The Indians played their home opener at Browns Chapel on another chilly Spring afternoon. Brendan went to the mound and threw heat and kept the White Sox to a single run in the first two innings. The Indians went down quietly against the White Sox starter. In the second, The White Sox put runners on first and second. The throw back from the catcher got past Brendan on the mound but Nikhil alertly was backing up the mound. The runner on second broke for third. Nikhil scooped it up and fired it to Christian V. who applied the tag quite nicely for out three. Christian T. walked to lead off the bottom of the second. Nicholas grounded into a fielder’s choice at short for out two and Christian V. hit a towering fly to deep center that was just caught for out three. After two it was 1-0 White Sox.
In the third the Indians took the lead when Chad beat out and infield hit, Pedro walked, Brendan walked and Bryon walked to score Chad. Connor walked to score Pedro. Nicholas came on to pitch the third and threw some good heat but a leadoff walk, a tough fly ball to center, a walk and a single scored a run. He then got the cleanup hitter to pop out to Will at first for out one. The next batter was hit to score another run, but Nicholas settled down to strike out the next two. After three it was White Sox 3 Indians 2.
In the top of the fourth, Bryon came on and threw heat. After a leadoff walk, he settled down and got the next batter to hit into a fielder’s choice at second where Brendan flipped to Chad covering at second. Bryon blasted strikes past the next two batters for outs two and three. In the fourth, Christian T. led off with a single. He stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Nicholas singled to score Christian with the key tying run. After four it was all tied up at three each.
In the top of the fifth, Bryon led off the inning with two walks. He settled down and threw a nice strike that took a tough hop past second and ended up in right. Two runs scored on a couple of bad throws. Will came on and shut down the Sox with two strikeouts and a pop up to Christian T. at first. Indians bats were quiet in the bottom of the fifth. After five it was 5-3 Sox. The Sox picked up a key insurance run in the top of the sixth as Will gave up a leadoff walk. The runner moved to second and a single scored the run. Will settled down and struck out the next two batters. The Indians were going down quietly until, with two outs, Will smashed a hard single to right center. He tried to stretch it to a double and a great throw got him at second to end the game: White Sox 6 Indians 3.
Coach Grossman was only briefly available for comment as he had to begin immediate preparations for the Cubs game on Saturday. He said, “Overall, our pitching and defense are improving and our bats are starting to come alive. It wouldn’t surprise me if we all come together with a big shutout against the Cubs.”
