Cleveland Indians’ Shane Bieber sets opening-day strikeout mark in win over Royals
Shane Bieber #ShaneBieber
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A recording of John Adams pounding his bass drum played in the background. The drag strip that is Euclid Avenue featured one roaring motorcycle after another piercing the darkness.
The seats were empty, but one loud fan, from way outside the gate on the Home Run Porch, bellowed until his lungs gave out.
Welcome to opening night at Progressive Field. Welcome to Shane Bieber’s night.
Bieber opened the Indians season with a franchise record 14 strikeouts in a 2-0 victory over the Royals. The last Indians pitcher to come close to that many strikeouts on opening day was Gary Bell, who struck out 12 in 10 1/3 innings against the Tigers on April 19, 1960. Bieber struck out 14 in six scoreless innings.
Hall of Famer Randy Johnson is the last pitcher to strikeout 14 batters on opening day. The Big Unit did it for Seattle against the White Sox on March 31, 1996. Camilo Pascual holds the record with 15 for the Senators in 1960.
Opening night was 120 days late because of the coronavirus. Bieber (1-0, 0.00) was supposed to start that game as well on March 26 against Detroit. The layoff did not hurt him as he allowed four hits on 97 pitches.
The Royals, ravaged by the coronavirus, started lefty Danny Duffy. The Indians have not treated him well in his career, but Duffy had them popping up for 4 1/3 innings. Still, Duffy is 0-7 in his last eight starts against the Indians.
As soon as Duffy left, the Indians took a 2-0 lead.
Duffy hit Jordan Luplow with a pitch to start the fifth. Domingo Santana fouled out to first, but Roberto Perez singled through the middle to send Luplow to third. Scott Barlow relieved Duffy and Oscar Mercado greeted him with a single through to middle for a 1-0 lead as Perez went to third.
Cesar Hernandez doubled past third for his first official hit since signing with the Indians in December. Perez scored for a 2-0 lead and it looked like a big inning was at hand. That thought was reinforced when Bartlow hit Jose Ramirez to load the bases with one out, but the middle of the lineup misfired.
Francisco Lindor struck out and Carlos Santana hit into a force play.
It took Bieber a moment or two to find his footing in the first inning. When he did, he rolled.
He started the game by hitting Whitt Merrifield, but Adalberto Mondesi bounced into a force play at second. Catcher Roberto Perez threw out Mondesi trying to steal second, but Jorge Soldier walked and Salvador Perez singled.
Bieber ended the inning by striking out Alex Gordon. From that point on he was locked in. Bieber, starting with Gordon’s strikeout, retired nine straight and 11 of the 12. Ten of those outs came on strikeouts.
He found trouble in the fifth when Nicky Lopez blooped a single into center field with one out. Bubba Starling struck out, but Merrifield singled to right to send Lopez to third. Merrifield stole second, but Bieber struck out Mondesi to keep the game scoreless.
Mondesi’s strikeout was Bieber’s 12th through five innings.
Bieber’s last inning was the sixth and he struck out Perez and Gordon. Bieber’s ninth strikeout of the game may have been the most impressive because it included a little help from Perez. Ryan McBroom struck out to end the fourth, but the pitch got past Perez. He sprinted after it, making a sprawling stop and throw from the ground to record the out.
Adam Cimber, Nick Wittgren and Brad Hand combined on the four-hitter by holding the Royals scoreless over the last three innings. Hand pitched ninth for the save.
Over the years the Indians have had their way with Duffy, but through four innings he had them hitting weak pop ups. Jose Ramirez lined a double off the top of the left field wall in the first, but that was the only threat the Indians could mount.
Duffy came into the game 3-11 with a 5.48 ERA against the Indians in 17 career starts.
Next
RHP Mike Clevinger will face Kansas City RHP Brady Singer, who is making his big-league debut, on Saturday at 5:10 p.m. SportsTime Ohio and WTAM will carry the game.
New Indians face masks for sale: Here’s where you can buy Cleveland Indians-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All MLB proceeds donated to charity.
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