Opening Day History

CLEVELAND, OH -- What a better way to start the 2012 season then to be a part of Major League Baseball history right?  Well in the case of the Cleveland Indians, as most of us probably could have expected, they came up on the wrong side of that history. 

The Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays engaged in a 16 inning, 5 hour and 14 minute Opening Day affair.  The game included 3 home runs, a 14 inning scoreless streak by the Tribe and bench clearing brawl in the bottom of the 15th inning. 

The Indians entered the 9th inning with a 4-1 lead over the visiting Jays after an outstanding pitching performance by starter Justin Masterson.  Masterson logged 8 innings of one-hit ball, with 10 strikeouts using only 91 pitches.  Manager Manny Acta elected to bring on Chris Perez (0-1) for what seemed like an easy save.  However, a few base runners and a double by Edwin Encarnacion later and it was a whole new ballgame.  Tied at four, the Indians came to bat in the bottom of the 9th.

The Indians had countless opportunities to win in walk off fashion.  The first opportunity for the Tribe came in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on third and one out.  Two ground outs later and it was on to extra innings.  Then in the bottom of the 12th the Indians loaded the bases and Asdrubal Cabrera stepped to the plate.  The Blue Jays brought on Omar Vizquel as a fifth infielder to prevent any ball from leaving the infield.  With the bases loaded and one out Cabrera swung at the first pitch, grounding into a 6-4-3 double play, ending the threat.

Toronto took the lead in the top of the 16th inning 7-4 on a three-run homer by J.P. Arencibia.  Luis Perez (1-0) combined with Sergio Santos put away the Tribe in the bottom of the 16th ending the longest MLB game in Opening Day history.  


With the loss the Indians fall to (0-1) on the season.  They will look to rebound on Saturday against the Blue Jays (1-0), and will send Ubaldo Jimenez to the hill.  Jimenez, who received a 5 game suspension from the MLB, is currently appealing his suspension and will not miss his scheduled start on Saturday.