In Phillies' 1915 opener, Alexander tosses shutout

On April 14, 1915, Grover Cleveland Alexander threw a six-hit shutout as the Phillies opened the season with a 3-0 win over the defending World Series champion Braves in front of 12,000 fans at Fenway Park in Boston. Time of game was a snappy one hour, 43 minutes.

The Braves had won the 1914 World Series, 4-0, over the Philadelphia Athletics.

Alexander walked two and struck out five in besting Dick Rudolph. The shutout was the first of 12 for Alexander, and 146 days later, he would blank Rudolph and the Braves again in Boston to clinch the Phils' first National League pennant. Alexander allowed one hit in that game played at Braves Field, and the time of game was even snappier: one hour, 28 minutes.

Center fielder Possum Whitted led the Phillies' five-hit attack with a single and a double. The Phils scored single runs in the first, seventh and ninth innings. Catcher Bill Kellefer, right fielder Gavvy Cravath and Alexander drove in the runs.

The Opening Day win was the first of eight straight, six on the road. The 8-0 start would remain a club record. Overall, the Phillies won 11 of their first 12 and finished April 11-3.