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Indians pound Contreras in season opener

Apr 3, 2007 - 4:44 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Trot Nixon fit right in with his new team.

Nixon had three hits and scored three times as the Cleveland Indians slugged their way to a 12-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox in the season opener for the American League Central Division rivals.

After spending his entire 10-year career with Boston, the oft-injured Nixon signed a one-year contract with Cleveland, where he is expected to platoon with Casey Blake in right field.

Penciled in second in the order behind Grady Sizemore, Nixon accounted for all of his hits and runs in the first three innings as the Indians grabbed an 11-2 lead.

"It's been real easy (going to a new team) because they've got a great clubhouse and great people in the organization have made it very easy," Nixon said. "The second thing is, what I went through in the offseason, I was totally focused on trying to get my body healthy enough to play baseball.

"I wasn't worried about who was going where, that I was going to be leaving Boston behind. I've had great experiences there, I love those fans more than anything. Right now, this is my team, these are my teammates, and I look forward to continue to play and look forward actually to going to Cleveland to play in front of some great fans in Cleveland."

Sizemore started the onslaught against ineffective Jose Contreras by homering on the game's second pitch. The talented outfielder finished with two hits and scored three times.

Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta knocked in three runs apiece for the Indians, who were a disappointment last season when they finished with a 78-84 record.

"It was a good way to get things started," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "Obviously, guys came out swinging the bat today."

All the offense was more than enough for C.C. Sabathia, who gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings. The lefthander walked one and struck out two.

"We're just trying to get off to a good start, and this is a good way to do it," Sabathia said. "Putting up 12 runs like we did today is definitely getting off to a good start."

Contreras was abysmal, getting pounded for eight runs and seven hits in one-plus inning.

"It was really disappointing," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Everybody was pumped up, and all the fans were pumped up, but he didn't have it from the beginning. He was all over the place. I talked to him and he said he was fine. He just had a tough outing, but he'll be fine. He just got whacked from the beginning. It was one of those days." Darin Erstad hit a two-run homer and Paul Konerko a solo shot for Chicago.

The Indians came out hacking, building a 2-0 lead before Contreras retired a batter.

After Sizemore started things with a homer over the right field wall, Nixon and Travis Hafner singled before Martinez delivered an RBI base hit.

"Contreras is tough. He's always pitching us tough," Sizemore said. "Being at the top of the order, you're just trying to jump start and get on base. You're not trying to get a home run."

Contreras retired the next two batters before Peralta stroked an RBI single and offseason acquisition Josh Barfield laced a two-run triple.

Erstad, who signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the White Sox in the offseason, homered over the right field wall in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-2.

However, the Indians knocked Contreras out of the game in the second.

Sizemore again started things, this time with a walk, and Nixon doubled. Hafner stroked and RBI single and a throwing error by shortstop Juan Uribe allowed Nixon to score and give the Indians a 7-2 lead.

"I'm disappointed in myself, and I felt like I let the team down because they actually came back and scored two, and I could have stopped it right there, but that wasn't the case," Contreras said through an interpreter. "But I still have 32 starts left so this is just the first one. I know that the results change."

Peralta's two-run single later in the inning off rookie Nick Masset provided a 9-2 bulge.

Martinez continued the onslaught with a two-run double in the third.

Cleveland finished with 13 hits.

About the only negative for the Indians was new closer Joe Borowski surrendering a pair of ninth-inning runs.