Storyline No. 3 ABS challenge
If you wondered about the impact and strategy of the new Automate Ball-Strike challenge system, I give you Opening Day.
Three ABS moments of note Thursday at GABP:
4th inning: Eugenio Suarez took a 2-2 pitch that was called a ball, but was challenged by Boston, and overturned into a strikeout.
7th: Tyler Stephenson won a strike challenge, as a hitter, on a 2-1 pitch. Instead of 2-2, the count went 3-1 and eventually became a leadoff walk. He reached to represent the tying run.
9th: Boston's Roman Anthony won a two-out, two-on, full count strikeout challenge. An inning ending strikeout became a walk vs Connor Phillips. A fired up Phillips had started his walk to the dugout. That opened the door to two more hits and two big insurance runs.