David Price entered Friday determined to put his postseason struggles in the past.
He didn’t get off to a good start.
The Boston Red Sox left-hander got roughed up out of the gate in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Indians, allowing four runs in the second inning at Progressive Field.
Three of those runs came from an unlikely source: left-handed Indians outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall, who took Price deep for a three-run home run on a 2-1 fastball.
That’ll do, Lon. https://t.co/xOaDSjx7k7 #ALDS pic.twitter.com/X3XeTUMvF7
— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2016
Why was Chisenhall’s homer so unlikely? As it turns out, that was the 28-year-old’s first long ball off a left-hander all season, as his eight homers this year all came off righties. In fact, homers against lefties have been few and far between for Chisenhall during his six-year major league career.
Lonnie Chisenhall had eight career homers off lefties, and five of them were in 2011.
— YCPB (@cantpredictball) October 7, 2016
He has victimized Price before, however, taking the former Cy Young Award winner deep in April 2013 when Price was with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Lefties off whom Lonnie Chisenhall has hit homers since 2013:
* David Price
* Franklin Morales
* John Danks
* David Price— Brian MacPherson (@brianmacp) October 7, 2016
Price’s outing didn’t last much longer, as Red Sox manager John Farrell pulled him after just 3 1/3 innings pitched. Reliever Matt Barnes allowed Price’s inherited run to score, meaning the left-hander’s day ended with five earned runs allowed on six hits.
That’s not the start Price had in mind in his postseason debut with Boston.
Follow along with our ALDS Game 2 live blog >>
Thumbnail photo via David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Images
