Tribe strikes early, spoils White Sox home opener By Scott Merkin and Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | April 8th, 2016 CHICAGO -- Danny Salazar was effectively wild and John Danks was not effective overall, as the Indians spoiled the White Sox home opener with a 7-1 victory Friday afternoon before 38,019 at U.S. Cellular Field. The game was played with a first-pitch temperature of 39 degrees and intermittent snow flurries. "It's very frustrating. We've been doing our jobs the last four games and we were coming in hot," White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier said. "You're going to have games like this. It happens. We couldn't really find a groove there with everybody, and that's the way it goes." Salazar allowed one run on two hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking three. But he threw 94 pitches during his season-opening start, 52 for strikes. He went to a three-ball count on six of the first seven hitters, but closed the third without having given up a hit. "We gave him a cushion, which was really good," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "You could tell he was having a tough time. He was scattering a lot of fastballs and deep counts. But, he still threw the ball really well. And you could tell he was having trouble throwing his breaking ball where he wanted to. "Saying all that, he gave up the solo to Frazier and not a whole lot else." The Indians jumped on Danks for three in the first, aided by Alex Avila's throwing error on aCarlos Santana swinging bunt in front of the plate. Jose Ramirez's double, Rajai Davis' triple and Jason Kipnis' sacrifice fly produced two more runs in the second. Danks retired 10 in a "I've been excited about this start for a couple weeks now. I definitely pictured it going a lot different in my head," said Danks, who fanned six and walked one in five innings and 105 pitches. "But, you know, it's . Got to get ready for the next one. That's just the way it goes. Do my best to forget about this and focus on Minnesota." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED First-inning mulligan: The White Sox would have liked a do-over for the first inning, after the Indians jumped on Danks for three runs. Danks allowed two singles and a walk, but the biggest issue of the frame came on Avila's error on Santana's swinging bunt in front of the plate with the bases loaded. Avila looked back toward home to see if he could get the ball to Danks for the force, and then threw the ball away at first, allowing two runs to score. With the frigid temperatures, Avila wasn't able to get a great grip on the ball. "But, I mean, that doesn't really matter," Avila said. " I didn't help him out in that first inning there and we weren't able to stop the bleeding." More > "Little things sometimes end up being big things," Francona said. "Carlos hit that ball 10 feet, but because he ran [we caught a break]. If he doesn't run, nothing happens. So, good things happen when you play the game right." One step too far: The White Sox had the makings of a rally in the second, when Salazar issued back-to-back walks to Melky Cabrera and Avisail Garcia. With one out, though, Garcia wandered too far off first base. received a pitch and snapped a quick throw to first baseman Mike Napoli, who made a swift tag to complete the pickoff. Salazar followed with a strikeout of Brett Lawrie and headed off the mound and straight to Gomes to thank his catcher for bailing him out. "I was actually thrilled," Francona said of the play. "That's something we talked about in Spring Training. Nap and Gomer have talked about it. … They had a couple walks and, all of a sudden, it's two outs and a runner on second." "For him, it was too big of a lead," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "We're down by five, and we need a lot more than just him scoring. So really just shorten up and take care of it that way." Davis shows off speed: Davis continued Cleveland's early push against Danks in the second, when he tripled to center to plate Ramirez. He then tested center fielder Austin Jackson by tagging and scoring on a flyout by Kipnis. In the bottom of the fifth, Davis sprinted back on an Adam Eaton liner to center, tracking down the deep fly with a lunging, falling catch at the warning track to bring an emphatic end to the inning. "He said he didn't see that ball," said Francona, who then smiled. "But he said when everybody on the whole field is looking at him, that's a bad feeling. I said, 'Yeah, it didn't look good from our [standpoint], either.' I was proud of our guys today." More > Welcome to Chicago: Frazier, who picked "Come Fly With Me" as his Frank Sinatra-themed walkup song, introduced himself to the home faithful with a one-out home run in the fourth on a 0-2 pitch. It was Frazier's second long ball since joining the White Sox. • White Sox home opener has wintry feel QUOTABLE "It was a little bit weird, first time pitching in really cold weather. And then it was snowing. Sometimes I was getting behind in the count, but then I was coming back and I made the adjustment right there." -- Salazar, on fighting the elements "That was amazing. I know he gave Napoli an eye or something, to be there. It got me. I was surprised. I didn't think he was going to throw there, but he did and he got the out. That was huge." -- Salazar, on Gomes' pickoff play "You might be able to get to him because he tends to give you chances, but it's hard to capitalize on those chances." -- Avila, on Salazar SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Santana celebrated his 30th birthday with a pair of RBIs. Dating back to 2009, when Santana was with Double-A Akron, he has hit .419 (13-for- 31) with six home runs and 16 RBIs on his last eight birthdays. That includes a 7-for-22 showing with three homers in the Majors. AVOID THE INDIANS Danks has a 1-9 record with a 6.59 ERA over 13 career home starts against Cleveland. WHAT'S NEXT Indians: Following his strong rookie showing a year ago, right-hander Cody Anderson was named the Indians' No. 4 starter to begin this season. Anderson went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts for Cleveland last year, shoring up the back end of the rotation. This spring, Anderson impressed the Tribe with his overhauled physical condition and he displayed a noticeable jump in velocity on his pitches. Anderson will take the ball for the Tribe in a 1:10 p.m. ET divisional clash against the White Sox on Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field. White Sox: Chris Sale will be making his 15th career start against the Indians on Saturday at 12:10 p.m. CT. He allowed three runs on four hits during a 34-pitch third inning against the A's in his first start on Opening Day but looked like the White Sox ace over the remaining six innings and 70 pitches. Sale struck out eight and walked one. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. Davis' speed on display on great grab, RBI triple Indians center fielder robs Eaton in snow with lunging catch on the run By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | April 8th, 2016 CHICAGO -- Rajai Davis saw the pitch leave Danny Salazar's hand. The Indians center fielder then saw White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton swing. From there, all Davis saw was the falling snow against the gray sky over U.S. Cellular Field. One of the reasons Cleveland acquired Davis over the offseason was his speed. In a 7-1 victory over Chicago on Friday afternoon, his legs helped prolong an early Cleveland rally, and also bailed him out when the baseball off Eaton's bat went missing above the top of the stadium in the fifth inning. "I didn't see the ball do anything," Davis said. "And then, once I looked in and saw everybody looking at me, I knew that ball was coming my way." So, Davis looked up again, searching for any sign of the missing sphere. Austin Jackson, who connected for a two-out single before Eaton's delivered his invisible line drive, was sprinting around the bases. The baseball -- soaring through the snow flurries -- finally crossed in front of a patch of blue within the overcast sky. After that initial moment of panic, Davis turned and hustled back as hard as he could, making up the ground he lost in the confusion. As the ball dove toward the warning track in center, Davis extended his arm, snared it with his glove and tumbled to the dirt. The center fielder quickly rose to his knees, popped the ball into the air and plucked it with his bare right hand. He held it high, ran in with a grin and let out a shout. Salazar bent over in laughter in the infield. "I saw him doing signs like, 'Where is the ball?'" Salazar said with a smile. "I'm glad that he could make that catch." On a normal summer night, such theatrics would not have been necessary, but this showed how Davis' speed can impact the game. He also flashes that attribute in the batter's box against the White Sox, delivering a triple that extended an early offensive outburst for the Indians in the With Cleveland holding a 3-0 lead, Davis ripped a pitch from White Sox lefty John Danks to deep center, sending it beyond the reach of Jackson. The three-base hit scored Jose Ramirez, but Davis was not done. When Jason Kipnis followed with a flyout to mid-center, Davis tagged up and tested Jackson's arm. It was no contest, as the Tribe's veteran outfielder crossed home plate well ahead of the throw. That five-run cushion helped Salazar -- struggling to command any of his pitches in the wintry conditions -- work with a little more confidence and margin for error. "He does a good job of keeping his legs going," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He doesn't take [anything] for granted and he's ready from the first pitch." Friday's win provided an example of why Cleveland invested in a one-year, $5.25 million contract to add Davis over the winter. The Indians liked his veteran presence, his ability to play multiple outfield positions and his potential for using his speed to make an impact both offensively and defensively. In this case, it helped Davis make a circus catch as snow fell. "He said when everybody on the whole field is looking at him, that's a bad feeling," Francona said with a chuckle. "I said, 'Yeah, it didn't look good from our [standpoint], either.'"

Sluggers' patience taxing to opposing hurlers By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | April 8th, 2016 CHICAGO -- The power potential that Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana can provide in the heart of the Indians' order will understandably garner the most attention, but it is their patience that can have a trickle-down effect for the rest of the lineup. Through the first two games, Napoli and Santana have given a glimpse of their ability to see a wealth of pitches. Entering Friday's 7-1 win over the White Sox, the duo had seen 85 combined pitches in their 16 trips to the plate, or an average of 5.3 per plate appearance. Having them back-to-back in the order can be taxing on opposing pitchers. "They're high-intensity pitches," Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis said. "They're making them work late into the count. They're drawing walks. They're putting pressure on them, so when the pitcher gets to other guys, they have runners on base or might have a letdown, because they just went through a long at-bat. It's just making the pitcher work that much more." Santana has averaged 4.28 pitches per plate appearance over his career and has ranked in the top four among qualified Major League hitters in each of the past three seasons in that category. Napoli led the Majors with 5.57 pitches per PA in 2013 (Santana ranked third that year with 4.29) and the first baseman has averaged 4.34 over his career. Napoli, who has been hitting cleanup, had seen 47 pitches through his first eight plate appearances, while Santana (No. 5 in the order) had seen 38 in his eight PAs. They each drew a walk and belted a home run in Wednesday's win over the Red Sox. "That takes a toll on a pitcher," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "If a pitcher just for a second takes a deep breath or gets frustrated, and gives somebody a pitch they can hit, that definitely [helps]. Plus, I think hitters get more dangerous the more pitches they see." Other items of note from Friday • Right-hander Tommy Hunter (15-day disabled list) is making rapid progress in his comeback from offseason core-muscle surgery. On Friday, the reliever was slated to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus, though the Clippers had their game postponed due to inclement weather. His timetable for return to the Majors remains unknown. "He's been like a bull in a china shop," Francona said. "And I mean that in a good way. We knew that. This guy, he's kind of been on a mission. As they fulfill their obligations, when they pass their milestones with the training staff, there's no reason to hold them back. We don't want to slow guys down." • Indians left fielder Michael Brantley, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a right shoulder issue, joined Triple-A Columbus on Friday to continue his workouts. Cleveland felt it made more sense to send Brantley there, rather than have him deal with traveling to Chicago. Brantley does not have a date for beginning an official Minor League rehab assignment. • Tribe right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall was scheduled to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus on Friday, but the postponement (the second in as many days) will push his program back by a day. Chisenhall is on the 15-day DL due to a left wrist issue that flared during Spring Training. Anderson opposes Sale, Sox in first '16 start By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | April 8th, 2016 CHICAGO -- White Sox ace lefty Chris Sale will take the mound at U.S. Cellular Field for the first time this season Saturday, when Chicago plays host to the rival Indians in an afternoon contest. Sale, who has finished in the top five in voting in each of the past three years, was a thorn in the side of the Tribe last year. As part of a stellar overall showing, the lefty had a 2.17 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 20 innings against Cleveland. Sale beat the A's on Opening Day this year, improving to 3-0 in season openers. The Indians will counter with right-hander Cody Anderson, who was named the fourth starter to begin this season after a standout showing as a rookie a year ago. Anderson went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts for Cleveland last season and impressed the club again this spring. The righty was initially slated to make his season debut Friday, but postponement in Cleveland on Thursday pushed Danny Salazar back to Friday and Anderson back to Saturday. Three things to know • Indians manager Terry Francona wants to find ways to keep utility man Jose Ramirez in the lineup, considering how well he has swung the bat. Ramirez hit .313 (.937 OPS) in 64 Spring Training at-bats and has looked good in the season's first few games. He got the nod in left field in each of the past two games: against a righty Wednesday and a lefty Friday. "I'd like to try to keep Jose [in the mix]," Francona said. "Jose's been swinging the bat pretty good. I'd like to give him a chance to kind of continue that." • White Sox slugger Jose Abreu has had considerable success against Cleveland. Through 35 games against the Indians, the first baseman had a .312 (43-for-138) average with 11 home runs and 25 RBIs. • Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis -- a Chicago native -- loves hitting in his hometown. Heading into this series, Kipnis had turned in a .321 (45-for-140) career average with 16 extra-base hits, 12 stolen bases and 25 RBIs at U.S. Cellular Field. Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com

Covering the Bases: Game 3 FIRST: After arriving at my hotel this morning, I had two orders of business. First and foremost, I needed a large coffee. Next, I needed to go buy a winter hat, because it was cold and snowing in Chicago. The good news is you can find great deals on winter hats in April! Needless to say, it figured to be an interesting day weather-wise for the Tribe. Sure enough, it was snowing a few hours before the game. But, then it cleared up and the tarp came off. And after the national anthem, which included military members wrestling with the oversized American flag — nearly pulled away by the wintry winds — it began snowing again. It was more of the same during the game: Snow. Sun. Snow. Sun. Snow. “It was a little bit weird, first time pitching in really cold weather,” Indians righty Danny Salazar said. “And then it was snowing.” The elements make it tough to get a solid read on Salazar’s performance. We can say this: it was an admirable outing of survival. The right- hander allowed only one run (on a solo homer by Todd Frazier) and scattered two hits. He struck out seven and walked three. And he did all of that by mostly sticking with fastballs (75 between his four-seamer and two-seamer, per PITCHf/x). Here’s the catch: Salazar had a tough time commanding his fastball. And the weather made things even harder for his secondary pitches. The pitcher said his four-seamer, especially, was problematic in the cold climate. “That’s a pitch that you just throw it,” he explained, “and you don’t have to do anything different with your hand. So, it’s a little bit hard sometimes, because if you squeeze it too much, you’re going to throw it in the dirt. It was hard to control it. I tried to mix it with my two-seam, when I was throwing the four-seam up. Then, I told [catcher Yan Gomes], ‘I’ll try to throw a two-seam and come back in the count again.’ And it worked.” A sign of a maturing pitcher is turning in a solid outing even when he doesn’t have his best stuff. On the surface, that’s what this looked like, but manager Terry Francona said it was not that cut-and-dry in this case. “I think it was not so much maybe not having his best stuff,” Francona said. “I just think the elements kind of play into it — trying to grip the ball and staying loose and stuff. But, he kept them off the scoreboard. He needs to work ahead, and he knows all those things, but we’ll take it. Fighting through a day like today, I know it’s cold, but it feels colder when you’re losing.” SECOND: Pour one out for the three-inning save. It’s a dying art and we were robbed of seeing one on Friday. Now, this is where I’ll drop the act and say that the save, in general, is not a great statistic. It’s a great moneymaker for players come the offseason, but there are a lot of flaws to it, and you could argue that the stat has hurt how bullpens are used. Saying that, I also place little to no value on the three-inning variety of the save, other than that I find it neat. Remember the Rangers’ 30-3 romp over the Orioles in 2007? Never forget that Wes Littleton logged a save in that game. A save in a 27-run victory! When Trevor Bauer took over in the seventh inning, and proceeded to retire six batters in a row through the eighth, we had the possibility of seeing a three-inning save. Alas, Francona handed the ball to Dan Otero, who worked the ninth and got rewarded with a “game finished” for his stats page. Do you remember the last three-inning save by an Indians pitcher? Try lefty Scott Barnes, who had one on May 23, 2013 for the Tribe. Since 2000, only three other Cleveland pitchers have a three-inning save: Luis Vizcaino (May 27, 2009), Aaron Laffey (May 6, 2009) and Steve Karsay (May 5, 2001). All of this aside, it was nice to see two strong innings from Bauer, who is still getting used to life out in the bullpen. “It’s always good to pitch well,” Bauer said. “Anytime you have a positive one, you celebrate it and it’s nice that it came in a team win. … I hope to get back to starting at some point, so I’ll try to pitch as well as I can every time I go out there. But, that doesn’t change regardless of what my role is.” Said Francona: “Trevor did a really good job. Really, two innings of just really pounding the zone. He really threw the ball well.” THIRD: With a runner on first and two outs in the fifth inning, Chicago’s Adam Eaton connected with a pitch from Salazar? Or did he? The ball went into stealth mode after it left the bat, toying with center fielder Rajai Davis. Let’s have Davis walk you through what wound up being an incredible catch: “Right before that pitch, I could see that the snow started coming down really, really hard. And it was really cloudy there, too. So, it was kind of tough to pick up the ball. Once he swung, I saw his swing, but I didn’t see any [trajectory]. I didn’t see the ball do anything. It seemed like it was all cloudy in the back and gray, so the ball kind of blended in. And then, once I looked in and saw everybody looking at me, I knew that ball was coming my way. So, I just looked up and it happened to be in the blue sky. It got over the stadium and I was able to track it down. I lost it with the snow and everything. There was a lot of snow.” Davis also delivered a triple in the second and scored on a Jason Kipnis sacrifice fly. It was nice to see the center fielder’s speed come into play on the bases and also in the field. His legs bailed him out on the play in the fifth. HOME: Francona said Gomes and first baseman Mike Napoli have been discussing and strategizing pick-off plays since Spring Training. We saw the result of their preparation in the second inning. After Salazar issued back-to-back one-out walks to Melky Cabrera and Avisail Garcia, he worked ahead, 0-1, against Brett Lawrie. On the next pitch — a swinging strike — Gomes swiftly fired the ball up the first-base line to Napoli, who made a quick tag on Garcia, who wandered too far off the base and stood no chance in his retreat. Even Salazar was caught off-guard. “That was amazing,” Salazar said. “I know he gave Napoli an eye or something, to be there. It got me. I was surprised. I didn’t think he was going to throw there, but he did and he got the out. That was huge.”

Salazar dominates on mound, pound , 7-1

By Andrew Seligman, Associated Press CHICAGO — Danny Salazar stayed warm and loose through the snow, rain and biting cold. His teammates helped out with an early lead. Salazar tossed two-hit ball into the sixth inning, and the Cleveland Indians pounded the White Sox 7-1 Friday, spoiling Chicago’s bone-chilling home opener. It was 39 degrees at first pitch and snow and rain fell during the day, but the Indians were in their element. Cleveland jumped to a 5-0 lead against John Danks en route to an easy victory after splitting two games at home with Boston in a season-opening series that included two postponements. Salazar had trouble gripping his fastball and had to go back to the clubhouse at times when he wasn’t on the mound just to stay warm. Those early runs from his offense helped. “That gave me a little more confidence,” Salazar said. “I put in my mind to keep their score down.” Jason Kipnis singled and scored during a three-run first and capped a two-run second with a sacrifice fly. Francisco Lindor added two hits and two runs. Mike Napoli scored twice. Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes each drove in two, and center fielder Rajai Davis raced back to make a diving catch against Adam Eaton. Salazar (1-0), a 14-game winner last season, gave up a solo homer to Todd Frazier but not much else. He struck out seven and walked three over 5 1/3 innings. It was a frustrating performance for the White Sox after they started the year by taking three of four at Oakland. They managed just three hits — two by Frazier. Danks (0-1) allowed seven runs — five earned — and eight hits over five innings. “I’ve been excited about this start for a couple weeks now,” he said. “I definitely pictured it going a lot different in my head. But it’s baseball. Gotta get ready for the next one.” STRIKING EARLY Danks ran into trouble in the first when he gave up one-out singles to Kipnis and Lindor before walking Napoli to load the bases. Two runs came in when catcher Alex Avila threw wildly to first after fielding Santana’s chopper, and Gomes followed with a sacrifice fly. The Indians added to it in the second when Jose Ramirez doubled with one out and Davis tripled to right-center. Kipnis followed with a sacrifice fly to shallow center, making it 5-0 and drawing more boos from a crowd that has seen too much of this. Danks fell behind hitters, the defense was shaky and Avisail Garcia was picked off first base in the bottom of the second inning, bringing back memories of last year’s 76-win season. The White Sox did not get a hit until Frazier, their biggest offseason addition, drove an 0-2 pitch beyond the left field bullpen in the fourth for his second homer. NICE RECOVERY Davis lost the ball when he made a highlight reel catch in the fifth, sprawling out with his back to the infield as he hauled in Eaton’s drive. “I saw his swing, but I didn’t see any trajection,” Davis said. “I didn’t see the ball do anything. It would seem like it was all cloudy and gray. The ball blended in. Once I saw everyone looking at me, I knew that ball was coming my way. I just looked up and it happened to be in the blue sky. It got over the stadium and I was able to track it down.” TUNING UP The pregame festivities had a musical flare with Goo Goo Dolls lead singer John Rzeznik singing the National Anthem and Chance the Rapper, a South Side product, throwing out the first pitch. TRAINER’S ROOM Indians: Lonnie Chisenhall (left wrist impingement) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Columbus and Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) was to begin working out with the minor league club this weekend. Both outfielders are on the 15-day disabled list. White Sox: SS Jimmy Rollins was back in the lineup after a planned off day. UP NEXT Indians: RHP Cody Anderson makes his first start after going 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 15 outings as a rookie last season. White Sox: LHP Chris Sale (1-0, 3.86 ERA) looks to build on a season-opening win at Oakland.

Cleveland Indians' Rajai Davis makes great catch thanks to patch of blue Paul Hoynes, CLEVELAND, Ohio – Center fielder Rajai Davis saw Adam Eaton's swing in the fifth inning Friday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field. The ball? Forget about it. It was hard to fault Davis. If he'd eaten a truckload of carrots before the game – grandmothers always tell their grandchildren that carrots are good for their eyesight – he still would have had trouble finding the ball that Eaton hit. He had to contend with the gray background of the ballpark and the shadows that covered the infield. Oh, yeah, there was a blizzard going on. It looked like Christmas in April on the south side of the Windy City. The only reason Davis knew the ball was coming his way was because pitcher Danny Salazar and every Indians' infielder was looking directly at him. "He said when everybody on the whole field was looking at him, that's a pretty bad feeling," manager Terry Francona told reporters at U.S. Cellular Field after the Indians' 7-1 victory. "We told him, 'We didn't feel too good about it either.'" While the infield was in shadows, the outfield was bathed in sunlight. The sun and the blue sky from which it came saved Davis. ''I looked up and it happened to be in the blue sky," Davis told reporters. "It got over the stadium and I was able to pick it up." Davis was able to pick it up, true, but there was also the matter of catching it because the ball was already over his head. He sprinted to the warning track and made a diving catch to end the inning. The Indians took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The runs were tainted because of an error by Chicago catcher Alex Avila. They made it 5-0 off John Danks with two more runs in the second and there was nothing tainted about them. Tribe defense sizzles on cold day in Chicago Jose Ramirez ripped a double to the gap in left center with one out. Davis followed with a triple to right and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Kipnis. "It's always nice to contribute and help the team to win," said Davis, who signed a one-year $5.25 million deal with the Indians in December. "I like how we're playing. It seems like a lot of guys are aggressive in the zone, taking (pitches) until they get a good pitch to hit and making pitchers pay." A home run by Todd Frazier cut the Indians' lead to 5-1. With two out in the fifth, however, the Indians added two more runs on a single by Carlos Santana and a double by Yan Gomes. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.09.2016 Danny Salazar rode heaters in the cold as Cleveland Indians won at White Sox: DMan's Report, Game 3 Dennis Manoloff, CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Danny Salazar and three relievers combined on a three-hitter and catcher Yan Gomes went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a terrific defensive play as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago White Sox, 7-1, Friday afternoon at cold and snowy U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. Here is a capsule look at the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio: No fun for you: The Indians (2-1) ruined the White Sox' home opener. The White Sox (3-2) had begun the season with a four-game series in Oakland. Keeping it clean: The Indians were error-free for the second straight game and stretched their streak of errorless innings to 20. They did so in difficult conditions over late afternoon and early evening. Maximizing an opportunity: White Sox finesse lefty John Danks entered at 5-14 with a 5.29 ERA in 26 career starts against the Indians. Start No. 27 was a mess. Danks allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits in five innings against a lineup that included eight right-handed batters. He walked one and struck out six. In the first two innings, the Indians punished Danks for fastball mistakes above the knees and didn't try to do too much against his slop. They scored two in the first and three in the second. With two outs in the fifth, the Indians strung four hits and scored twice to make it 7-1. Fast, faster, fastest: Salazar allowed one run on two hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out seven. Starting pitchers, especially in the American League, are not supposed to be able to survive on one pitch. Salazar pulled it off, throwing, by my charting of his start, 81-of-94 fastballs. He mixed in eight splitters and five sliders. (Two of the sliders squirted out of his hand and might register as splits on other sites because of velocity.) In a perfect first inning, Salazar opened with 16 straight fastballs before sending a slider down and away for a ball to ultra-dangerous righty slugger Jose Abreu. Three fastballs later, Abreu swung through 98 mph off the outside corner at the knees. In a two-walk second, Salazar threw 17 fastballs, one slider and one split. In a one-walk third, he threw 18 fastballs and two splits. Why did Salazar continue to pump fastballs? Because he could. His fastball has teeth on a warm day; good luck against it in cold temperatures, with wind and occasional snow. First-pitch temperature was 39 degrees. When White Sox shortstop Jimmy Rollins grounded a 95-mph fastball to first to end the third inning, it was Salazar's 44th pitch of 95+. Salazar and Gomes were going to make the White Sox prove they could hit the fastball before trying to legitimately complement. The Tribe's early leads gave Salazar wiggle room to challenge, and Salazar rarely seemed comfortable with the grips and release points of his off-speed stuff. The White Sox finally did beat Salazar's fastball in the fourth. With one out, Todd Frazier hit an 0-2 pitch (94) at the thighs to left for a homer to make it 5-1. What didn't make sense: Salazar basically threw a get-me-over fastball when he had Frazier in jail, regardless of pitch type. Perhaps the ball slipped out his hand. Chicago's other hit against Salazar came with two outs in the fifth. Austin Jackson singled up the middle (3-2 fastball). With one out in the sixth, Salazar plunked Abreu with a 1-1 slider. Tribe manager Terry Francona signaled for righty Jeff Manship, who walked Frazier. Melky Cabrera grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, which happened because first baseman Mike Napoli dived to the bag to beat The Melk Man looping back after an errant relay by Jason Kipnis. Notable: All but two of the outs against Salazar were off fastballs. Excellent recovery: Trevor Bauer, who gave up two runs in his first appearance this season, retired 6-of-6 batters in his second. In the seventh, Bauer struck out Avisail Garcia swinging (1-2 fastball; 97) and got Brett Lawrie to pop to right (1-2 curve) and Alex Avila to ground to short (1-0 fastball). In the eighth, Bauer retired Jackson on a fly to center (2-1 cutter), Eaton on a fly to left (1-0 changeup) and Rollins swinging (2-2 filthy changeup)Â That's a wrap: The Tribe's final reliever, Dan Otero, allowed one hit in the ninth. He benefitted from a double play. The Eraser: Gomes, assisted by Napoli, delivered the play of the game. With Cabrera on second and Garcia on first and one out in the second, Salazar threw an 0-1 fastball to Lawrie. As Lawrie swung through it, Gomes popped from his crouch in a blink and fired to Napoli, who had time to snack before picking off Garcia. Lawrie eventually struck out swinging. Gomes' technique and execution were flawless: Terrific pop and throw by Gomes. #indians #whitesox @SportsTimeOhio pic.twitter.com/CBE7FxuNQI — Dennis Manoloff (@dmansworld474) April 8, 2016 Teamwork: Every Cleveland position-player starter except third baseman Juan Uribe (0-for-4, two strikeouts) made at least one significant contribution offensively and/or defensively. It still was a good day for Uribe, who received a loud ovation during introductions. Uribe was a member of the 2005 World Series champion White Sox; a statue of him is on the grounds at The Cell. The other Tribe starting position players Friday: 1. Center fielder Rajai Davis -- 1-for-4 with a walk, triple, RBI, run and terrific diving catch. 2. Kipnis -- 1-for-4 with an RBI and run. 3. Shortstop Francisco Lindor -- 2-for-4 with two runs. 4. Napoli -- 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs. 5. Designated hitter Carlos Santana -- 1-for-4 with two RBI. 6. Gomes -- full-service game also involved expert handling of Tribe pitchers. 7. Right fielder Marlon Byrd -- 1-for-4 with a double. 9. Left fielder/third baseman Jose Ramirez -- 1-for-4 with a double and run. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.09.2016 On cold day in Chicago, Cleveland Indians' defense turns in red-hot performance Paul Hoynes, on April 08, 2016 at 8:32 PM, updated April 08, 2016 at 8:42 PM CLEVELAND, Ohio – When manager Terry Francona talks defense, one of his main concerns is ground balls hit 80 or fewer feet. Nubbers, squibbers, slow rollers, call them what you will, to Francona they all should be outs. Carlos Santana hit a squibber in front of the plate in the first inning Friday with the bases loaded and one out against Chicago at U.S. Cellular Field. The immediate result was a three-run inning, which eventually morphed in a chilly 7-1 victory by the Indians. The fact that the White Sox scuttled their own home opener by a defensive mistake, while the Indians played flawless defense, should bode well for a Francona team that needs to play much better in its own division this season if it is to have a chance to contend for its first AL Central title in nine years. Santana, facing left-hander John Danks, dribbled a 2-2 pitch about 10 feet in front of the plate. Catcher Alex Avila pounced on the ball and thought about throwing to first. Then he thought about flipping the ball to Danks, who passed him on the way to cover the plate, so he could force Jason Kipnis at home. Then Avila turned and made an offline throw to first that was behind a running Santana and far out of reach for Jose Abreu. Kipnis and Francisco Lindor scored, Mike Napoli went to third and Santana went to second. A sacrifice fly by Yan Gomes made it 3-0. In 2014, the Indians made the most errors in the big leagues with 116. Francona had several chances to talk about the evils of 80-foot grounders turning into hits, errors and runs for the opposition. Last season, however, the Tribe's defense made a quantum leap in efficiency. It started with hard work in spring training, but it really didn't show itself until the Indians swapped out the left side of their infield in June. Shortstop Jose Ramirez and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall were optioned to Class AAA Columbus. Francisco Lindor and Giovanny Urshela arrived to replace them. The defense further improved at the end of July with the addition of center fielder Abraham Almonte from San Diego and the recall of Chisenhall. But Chisenhall didn't return to play third, instead he moved to right field and played like Roberto Clemente was his guardian angel. The Indians finished tied with Baltimore for the best fielding percentage in the AL. After committing the most errors in the big leagues in 2014, they committed the second fewest in the AL last year. On a cold Friday afternoon, with snow flurries filling the ballpark, another part of the defense showed itself. After Danny Salazar, topping out at 98 mph, retired the White Sox in order in the first, he walked Melky Cabrera and Avisail Garcia with one out in the second. The last thing Salazar wanted to do was let Chicago back in the game after being handed a 3-0 lead, but he was having trouble gripping the ball in the cold to throw his slider and change up. Gomes helped his pitcher out by picking off Garcia at first. Napoli cut in behind Garcia, blocked him off the bag and applied the tag for the second out. Salazar struck out Brett Lawrie to end the inning. In the fifth, with the Tribe leading, 7-1, Austin Jackson singled with one out. Chicago's Adam Eaton sent a line drive to center field. Rajai Davis didn't see the ball off the bat, but there was a reason. Make that a few reasons. The Infield was covered in shadows, the outfield bathed in sunlight and the whole ballpark with filled with swirling snow. Davis, when he finally found the ball, showed great closing speed as he made a diving catch in the warning track to end the inning. In the sixth, the Indians ended the inning on a 6-4-3 double play by Cabrera. Kipnis made the turn at second, but his throw pulled Napoli off the bag. Cabrera avoided Napoli's tag, but missed the bag. Napoli beat him to the bag with a dive, tagging the bag with his glove. Good pitching always makes a defense better. Salazar struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings and overpowered the White Sox on a frigid day. He couldn't control his slider or change so he stuck mostly with his fastball and allowed two hits and three walks in 94 pitches. The bullpen finished the three-hitter with 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Trevor Bauer retired six straight in the seventh and eighth. The Indians had the Danks factor working in their favor as well. For the last few years, lefties have befuddled the Indians, but Danks isn't one of them. He's 5-15 against the Tribe in his career and 1-9 at U.S. Cellular Field. Danks allowed seven runs, five earned, on eight hits in five innings on Friday. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.09.2016 How Cody Anderson's improved arsenal earned him a rotation spot: The Thursday Conversation follow-up Zack Meisel CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As long as the frigid conditions don't sap the energy from Cody Anderson's right arm, the hurler will showcase an improved fastball on Saturday afternoon, when he makes his season debut at U.S. Cellular Park. Anderson typically tossed a 92-mph heater last season. This spring, the pitch sat in the 95-97 mph range. That's a result of an off-season spent in the weight room and all around the Indians' complex in Goodyear, Arizona. Tribe pitching coach Callaway said he was blown away by Anderson's winter itinerary and by how the California native looked during his first bullpen session of the spring. "Every day, he's getting after it," Callaway said. "We've kind of tried to pull the reins back a little bit on some of the work he's doing in the weight room and things like that, but we have to let him go, too, because that's his personality and that's what he feels he's working for. "I probably get a little concerned that he needs to pace himself a little bit, but I know he's not that type of person." Anderson earned a spot in the Indians' Opening Day rotation, a decision that pushed Trevor Bauer to the bullpen. Now, the Indians hope it all translates into results on the mound. The work from October to March is one thing. Execution from April to October is another. "Adding velocity is going to help the fastball, but it will also help the arm speed when you're going to spin the ball or sell a change-up," Callaway said. "You always associate arm speed with better action to all of your other pitches." The change-up is Anderson's best friend. He was essentially a two-pitch pitcher last season, when he posted a 7-3 record and 3.05 ERA in 15 starts for Cleveland. He'll mix in a cut fastball from time to time, but the change is his primary out pitch, a complement to the hard stuff at an average velocity of about 83-84 mph. He threw the pitch nearly a quarter of the time and the opposition batted just .207 against it. Anderson practiced throwing a curve ball more frequently this spring. He has limited its use in the past, but the mastering of a third pitch can go a long way toward big league staying power. Callaway surmised that the increased velocity on Anderson's fastball could make his off-speed pitches more effective as well. "It should help his change-up," Callaway said. "It should help his breaking balls, which we've seen, it has. And with timing for hitters, if they have to get geared up for that fastball, everything else becomes a little bit better." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.09.2016 Who plays, who goes when Cleveland Indians' outfield is healthy? Hey, Hoynsie Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie. Hey, Ben: It think it will be Michael Brantley in left, Tyler Naquin or Rajai Davis in center and Lonnie Chisenhall in right. Collin Cowgill and Marlon Byrd will be platoon options. But the Indians aren't going to carry six outfielders and they might not carry five with utility man Jose Ramirez available. In the Indians first three games this season, Ramirez has drawn two starts in left field. Hey, Hoynsie: Can the Indians please go ahead and move the home opener to Tuesday, now? It looks like snow/ rain (and a lot of it) Monday and sun/cold Tuesday. Just saying. – Eric P., Delaware. Hey, Eric: Consider it done. Hey, Mr. Mode: Napoli has never played more than 140 games in a season. One of the reasons is he's been on the disabled list six times in his career. Another reason is his splits against lefties and righties. Napoli entered this season as a .278 lifetime hitter against lefties and a .243 hitter against righties. That leads to platoon situations and fewer at-bats and games played. Hey, Hoynsie: How much did Josh Tomlin's contract play into his inclusion in the rotation? Seems like Trevor Bauer out-pitched him this spring. – Steve Johnson, Strongsville. Hey, Steve: I think Tomlin's extension played a role in him making the pitching staff, not the rotation. Tomlin has two minor league options left, but if the Indians sent him down, he could have turned free agent and kept his extension because he has five years of service time. So if he stayed healthy in spring training, he was going to make the team as a starter or reliever. Most teams will tell you to base a decision only on spring training is dangerous. I think the way Tomlin and Bauer pitched in the second half last year -- Tomlin pitched well, while Bauer struggled -- played a role in the decision as well.

Tomlin-Tribe agree on 2-year deal The Indians and the right-handed pitcher have agreed to a two-year contract extension. The club also holds an option on the pitcher for the 2018 season. Hey, Hoynsie: I love the Tribe's pitching staff this year, but how much of a concern is the lack of a single lefty? As a manager Tito can't be thrilled with that, Mike Hargrove sure wouldn't have been! Anything in the works to bring in some southpaws? – Chris Allen, Fairview Park. Hey, Chris: I realize you wrote this a while ago, but out of the Tribe's current 13-man pitching staff, they did carry one lefty – Ross Detwiler. He's working in the bullpen right now, but if things work out he could return to starting sometime down the road. Hey, Patrick: Perez isn't going anywhere. The Indians have arms available at Class AAA Columbus if they need to make a move in the bullpen.

Roberto Perez found out the hard way in 2015 that a backup catcher can become the starting catcher in the blink of the eye. So it is best to be prepared at all times. Hey, Hoynsie: How long will Craig Stammen and Tommy Hunter be on the disabled list? Will both be in the Indians' bullpen when they get back? Also, when Michael Brantley and Abraham Almonte get back, who will the Indians have on their roster for the outfield? – Nathan Voorhis, Cleveland. Hey, Richard: Hunter just started his rehab assignment Friday with Class AAA Columbus. A pitcher can stay on a rehab assignment up to 30 days as opposed to 20 for a position player. Stammen opened the year on the disabled list for Columbus. Almonte just started serving an 80-game suspension when the season opened. The Indians are hoping that Brantley is back well before Almonte. Hey, Tom: It depends on how Byrd is playing. He did a great job making the team, now he has to stay on it. As a veteran he's well aware of that. The Indians are carrying 13 pitchers. How long do you think that will last? Hey, Hoynsie: If Michael Brantley knew he was going to need shoulder surgery, why did he wait until November and not get it done immediately after the season ended in October? – David Lee, Lakewood. Hey, David: Brantley injured his right shoulder on Sept. 22. He had the surgery on Nov. 9. After he injured his shoulder, Brantley received a cortisone shot. He briefly tried to finish the season before being shut down. When the shoulder began to feel better, the Indians put Brantley through a hitting program in October to make sure he was healthy going into the off- season. When the pain returned, surgery became the next option. I can't find any fault in the way the Brantley and the organization handled it. No team or player wants to rush into surgery. Michael Brantley, who led the AL with 45 doubles in 2015, underwent surgery on his right shoulder Monday to repair a torn labrum. He will be sidelined five to six months and could miss the first month of the regular season. Hey, Andy: Sure it is, but you're not going to see him out there when the Indians are leading, 4-3, in the eighth inning. That's going to be Zack McAllister, Bryan Shaw or Cody Allen territory. Bauer did a good job controlling his walks in spring training. I'm still surprised he ended up in the pen and I'm more than curious about how manager Terry Francona is going to use him. He certainly did a nice job in Friday's 7-1 win over Chicago with two scoreless innings. The Indians have to be encouraged by that. Hey, Robert: A player needs six full years in the big leagues before being eligible for free agency. A big league season consists of 172 days. Lindor spent 113 days in the big leagues last year, which means the Indians control him for this year and the next five no matter how long it takes him to get there.

Francisco Lindor is in the Indians opening day lineup in the No.3 spot, but he knows that's reserved for Michael Brantlety Hey, Hoynsie: I think the Indians value the depth of their starting rotation too much to trade Bauer, especially before the All-Star break. Hey, Steph: As long as Yan Gomes stays healthy, he'll do the bulk of the catching. He works well with all the pitchers, especially Corey Kluber. That being said, Perez has caught all the Tribe's starters in the minors and did a nice job last season when Gomes was hurt.

Gomes is trying to bounce back in 2016 from a setback of his own. I don't see Perez becoming a personal catcher to any of the Tribe's starters. I think he's talented enough to catch all of them. Last week manager Terry Francona said he needs to make sure he keeps Perez sharp.

Lake County Captains go to 2-0 with win over Fort Wayne

By David Glasier, The News-Herald Four years after an 18-year-old shortstop named Francisco Lindor made a name for himself with the Lake County Captains, a similarly precocious shortstop who also happens to be 18 aims to do the same this season at Classic Park.

Willi Castro, a native of the Dominican Republic who has spent most of the last six years living in this country, is the young man trying to follow in Lindor’s footsteps.

In the 3-2 victory April 8 over Fort Wayne (Ind.), Castro had two singles in four at-bats. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound switch-hitter is batting .556 with a triple and two RBI.

Castro is making a strong first impression on Captains manager Tony Mansolino.

“He’s got all the actions and great physical features of a big leaguer at 18. It’s all there. He looks the part,” Mansolino said.

Castro signed by the Indians as an non-drafted free agent in July 2013. The Tribe’s player development brain trust thought enough of his potential to sweeten that deal with an $850,000 signing bonus.

It’s not surprising that Castro gravitated toward baseball, became a shortstop and showed enough promise to receive that large of a signing bonus. He is the son of Liliano Castro, a former minor-league shortstop who for many years has been a coach and instructor in the New York Mets’ minor-league system.

“From the time I was four of five years old, my father worked with me and hit me ground balls,” Castro said. “He wanted to make sure I was learning the fundamentals and enjoying myself at the same time.”

Castro has played shortstop for as long as he can remember.

“It’s my favorite position because you’re always in the middle of the action and you can be a leader,” he said. Because his father’s coaching duties required him to be in the U.S. for long stretches during the baseball season, Castro began living here at the age of 12. He attended schools first in North Carolina and, later, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. That’s allowed Castro to developed a nice command of English and acclimate to the stateside culture.

“That will be a real advantage for him as he moves up the ladder in our organization,” Mansolino said.

Castro began his professional career in 2014 with the rookie league Arizona Indians, batting .239 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 43 games. Last season, at short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley, he batted .264 with one home run and 25 RBI in 67 games. He also had a team-high 20 stolen bases.

“My goal is improve every year in all phases of the game,” said Castro, whose favorite major-league shortstop is Jose Reyes of Colorado.

Castro smiled when asked how it feels to be the youngest player on the Captains. He’ll turn 19 on April 24.

“The guys kid around and tell me I play like I’m 20,” Castro said.

Castro said the best advice he ever received from his father was “to be aggressive, be smart and be a good teammate.”

He is aware of Lindor’s stature in the organization and the potential for the charismatic Lindor to become a fixture at shortstop in Cleveland for many years to come.

“Francisco is a great player and a really good guy. If I can’t get to the big leagues with Cleveland, I’ll have to do it somewhere else,” Castro said.

Mansolino said Castro’s major-league ambitions are legitimate.

“I don’t think he realizes how close he is,” Mansolino said. “He’s talented with the glove and has some pop in his bat. As long as he keeps working hard, he could be only a couple of seasons away from putting himself in the mix for the big leagues.”

The fact Castro also can play second base may facilitate a rapid rise through the ranks, Mansolino added.

TWO IN A ROW

Captains starter Casey Shane (1-0, 0.00 ERA) blanked he TinCaps over five innings to earn the victory as the Captains improved to 2-0.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Texas native finished with sevem strikeouts while issuing three walks.

Kieran Lovegrove, a converted starter, gave up one run in the top of the ninth to earn the save in the first save opportunity of his four-year career. The native of South Africa and longtime California resident had two strikeouts and topped out at 97 miles-per-hour on the radar gun.

Second baseman Tyler Krieger was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Baseball | Clippers postponed for second straight day By Mark ZnidarThe Columbus Dispatch • Friday April 8, 2016 2:46 PM

Cold temperatures and intermittent rain forced postponement of the Clippers game against Indianapolis that was scheduled for 4:05 p.m.today at Huntington Park. No makeup date has been set.

The teams will try to open their International League season again at1:05 p.m. Saturday. Game time had been 7:15 p.m. until general manager Ken Schnacke made an adjustment for the benefit of fans and players.

A double-header is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Sunday. There will be a 30-minute break between games.

The Clippers have been together less than a week, but fourth-year manager Chris Tremie said the players were around one another most of spring training and that many players are back from the 2015 Governors’ Cup championship team.

The concern at this point, Tremie said, is refining such things as cut-off throws, double-play pivots by infielders and pitchers covering first base. Poor weather conditions forced the postponement of three games last April.