BOSTON -- David Price signed a $217 million contract with the Boston Red Sox in December knowing the expectations would be high and the scrutiny more onerous than in a lot of major league markets. When he reiterated a long-held desire to make it to the Hall of Fame during his introductory news conference, it didn't exactly temper the euphoria over his arrival.

To borrow Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon's pet spring training phrase, Price was simply "embracing the target."

Ten outings into his tenure with the Red Sox, Price is gradually settling in and putting a shaky start behind him. He leads the American League with 76 strikeouts, and he has picked up the pace since Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia sleuthed out a glitch in his delivery while watching video a couple of weeks ago.

That said, Price's 7-1 record and 5.34 ERA are testament to his good fortune. Heading into Tuesday's 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Fenway Park, Price had been the beneficiary of an average of 6.20 runs per game -- the fourth-most generous run support in the majors. Only the Cubs' Jake Arrieta and the St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright and Carlos Martinez have lived a more charmed existence in the first two months of the season.

"It's huge," Price said. "To go out there and know you don't have to be perfect every pitch, it definitely takes a lot of stress off the starting pitcher."

The most noteworthy piece of business in the Boston-Colorado series opener came in the first inning, when Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled to the left-center field gap to extend his hitting streak to 28 games -- tied with Johnny Damon for the fifth-longest streak in Red Sox history. Only Dominic DiMaggio (34 straight), Nomar Garciaparra (30), Tris Speaker (30) and Damon (29) are ahead of him on the franchise's career list.

When a reporter asked David Ortiz how long Bradley can keep it up, Boston's DH and clubhouse sage was at a rare loss for an opinion.

"Hopefully for another 70 games," Ortiz said. "What am I, a magician?"

If not for the streak, Bradley would be just another guy batting seventh and wreaking havoc in baseball's most imposing batting order. The Red Sox lead the major leagues in runs (264), batting average (.297), on-base percentage (.361), slugging percentage (.485), and doubles (117). And they've been especially formidable at Fenway, where they've recorded 10 or more hits in 16 of their past 18 games.

It has been a generation-bridging enterprise, with Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Bradley providing the energy and Boston's veterans clearly feeding off it. Pedroia contributed three hits and a walk Tuesday to raise his average to .303, and Ortiz checked in with yet another monster night in his farewell season. Big Papi has seven RBIs in his past two games, and he's hitting .421 (16-for-38) with runners in scoring position this season. He credits the kids with putting an extra spring in his step.

"I'm having so much fun watching them," Ortiz said. "They make me feel like I'm their age."

The 2016 Red Sox like to assert themselves right out of the chute. Since April 11, they've outscored opponents 49-15 in the first inning and logged a collective team slash line of .351/.423/.586 in the inning. In Tuesday's win, they sprayed line drives all over the park against Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa in his first game back from the disabled list.

"It's all about their preparedness, and their understanding of what their daily routine is," manager John Farrell said. "They come ready to play every single night. There's a lot of energy at the top of the lineup, particularly as we set the table every night for David. It's [a tribute to] their readiness each and every night when that first pitch is thrown."

All the Red Sox need now is the pitching to get a little more consistent. Eduardo Rodriguez is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket, which means the rotation is about to get deeper even as the bullpen takes a hit with the news that hard-throwing Carson Smith is out for the rest of the season because of Tommy John surgery.

Price, Boston's lead dog, appears to be regaining his five-time All-Star form. He has become more consistent with his mechanics since Pedroia noticed a seemingly minor issue with his hands and his leg lift in his delivery. In Tuesday's seven-inning outing, Price made deft use of his curveball and did a nice job changing speeds against a Colorado team that's known for its ability to hit a fastball.

It was an all-around encouraging night at the yard. But don't even dare suggest that Price should be content with his performance.

"I'm never content," he said. "That's for people who are satisfied, and I'm never satisfied."

Price will continue to take the mound every fifth day with the intention of making improvements and bringing his A-game to the park. But if he falls short, chances are Boston's hitters will give him the luxury of more time to find his comfort zone. It's just their way of welcoming him to the neighborhood.