3 stars of the game: Home Opener Game 7
If you missed the Red Sox 2013 home opener you missed a fantastic game. Both teams pitchers dueled for 6 innings keeping both hits and base runners to a minimum. I was fortunate enough to be at the game, and got to experience the amazing atmosphere that only opening day can bring. If you did not see the game I highly suggest watching the Sox in 2 tonight on NESN from 12-2am. Here are your three stars of the game.
Star 3: Mike Napoli
Napoli had a great game at first base, he made a lot of good plays where he fielded the ball and the easily flipped it to his pitcher who was covering for multiple outs. More importantly was Napoli's no out double in the 7th inning to advance Dustin Pedroia from first to third. At the time the decision to hold Pedroia at third was questioned but 2 batters later it was justified. Napoli went 1-3 at the plate with a double and 1 run scored.
Star 2: Daniel Nava
Nava was the offensive star of the team today. He provided 2 of the teams 5 hits and had the biggest hit of the game. In the 7th inning with one out and runners on second and third he turned on a pitch by Chen and put it out of the ballpark, over the monster and onto the parking garage across the street. Nava went 2-2 on the day with 1 walk. He had 3 RBI's and scored 1 run.
Star 1: Clay Buchholz
Buchholz was the star of the Home Opener this year, in his second start of the season he performed like it was his 15th start of the season. Buchholz is in midseason form right now, going 7 strong innings giving up only 3 hits. He walked 4 batters and struck out 8. Buchholz threw 113 pitches, 65 of them for strikes and had 18 out of 27 first pitch strikes against batters he faced.
The Red Sox played amazingly today, while they only had 5 hits they still ht the ball very hard, Baltimore made a lot of great plays defensively. The pitching was lights out, until a little scare with our closer, but he was most likely working out jitters of his first save in a Red Sox uniform in Fenway Park. If you disagree with any of my stars of the game let me know in the comments below or on twitter.