Sox Summary: Red Sox aim to please on Opening Night

Dustin Pedroia tied the game with a home run in the seventh. (Bill Greene/Boston Globe)

After Josh Beckett struggled and gave up five runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings, the Red Sox came from behind to take a 9-7 Opening Night from the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on Sunday.

Boston tied the game twice, which eventually led to Kevin Youkilis scoring on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Kevin Youkilis hit 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI for the Red Sox, while Jorge Posada notched three hits and scored a run for the Yankees.

Beckett finished the game with a no-decision, as he gave up eight hits and five runs, while walking three and allowing back-to-back home runs to Jorge Posada and Curtis Granderson in the second inning.

Hideki Okajima picked up the win as he allowed just one hit in the seventh and Jonathan Papelbon notched the save with just one hit as well.

Boston is now 1-0 on the season, which propels them to the top spot in the AL East after one game. The Red Sox host game two of the series on Tuesday night, as Jon Lester opposes A.J. Burnett.

Sox Notes: Seen and heard at Fenway

 

Pedro Martinez's appearance was a big suprise to all. (Jim Davis/Boston Globe)

* Former pitcher Pedro Martinez was treated to a rousing standing ovation as he delivered the ceremonial first pitch to Jason Varitek. The pitch was a little high.

Pedro waved to the crowd in every direction, really soaking it all in. Chants of “Pedro, Pedro, Pedro” were coming from the stands.

Five-year-old Joshua Sacco was a home run to fans and even the Red Sox team. (Jim Davis/Boston Globe)

* Also prior to the game, a 5-year-old boy from Tennessee, Joshua Sacco, said the pre-game Herb Brooks speech from the movie “Miracle” and Johnny Pesky said “play ball” to help get the season going. 

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith was on the field to sing "God Bless America" during the seventh inning. (Jim Davis/Boston Globe)

* Steven Tyler did “God Bless America” in the seventh inning, while Neil Diamond was in the house for “Sweet Caroline.”

* Ryan Westmoreland, who is recovering from brain surgery, is in attendance.

* Two F-16 Fighting Falcon jets from the 158th Fighter Wing of the Vermont Air National Guard did the flyover, before the flawless national anthem by Keri Hilson.

* The PawSox will open their season with Boof Bonser taking the hill against Rochester on Thursday. McCoy Stadium’s week will just be getting started, because Daisuke Matsuzaka will face the Wings on Saturday.

Red Sox Game Notes: Sox and Yankees set for Opening Night at Fenway Park

Leading Off: The Red Sox (17-14-1 Spring) will open the 2010 Major League Baseball season on Easter Sunday night at Fenway Park as they will host their hated rivals, the New York Yankees (13-15-1 Spring) in the first of a three-game series at 8:05 p.m. on NESN in New England and on ESPN2 in locations where blackout regulations don’t apply.

YANKEES
2 Derek Jeter SS
26 Nick Johnson DH
25 Mark Teixeira 1B
13 Alex Rodriguez 3B
24 Robinson Cano 2B
20 Jorge Posada C
14 Curtis Granderson CF
33 Nick Swisher RF
11 Brett Gardner LF
52 CC Sabathia LHP

RED SOX
2 Jacoby Ellsbury LF
15 Dustin Pedroia 2B
41 Victor Martinez C
20 Kevin Youkilis 1B
34 David Ortiz DH
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
7 J.D. Drew RF
23 Mike Cameron CF
16 Marco Scutaro SS
19 Josh Beckett RHP

For Openers: Sunday’s game will mark the 27th Opening Night meeting between the Sox and Yanks, as well as the ninth time that the teams have kicked off the season at Fenway Park. Boston has fallen short in the past two games against the Yankees to open the season in the Bronx, while the Sox were winners in the three games before that (all at Fenway Park).

Series Stuff: Last season, the Red Sox went 7-2 against New York at Fenway and split the overall series, 9-9. Tonight’s starter, Josh Beckett was the only Red Sox pitcher that won more than one game against the Pinstripes last year, as he did it on two consecutive occasions on May 5 and June 9.

Easter is kind to the Sox: The Red Sox are 12-5 in games played on Easter Sunday, but tonight’s game will mark the first occasion that the team has opened on the holiday.

Pitching Matchup: Josh Beckett vs. C.C. Sabathia
The opening series will feature three marquee pitching matchups, beginning with Josh Beckett opposing C.C. Sabathia in tonight’s opening game. Both pitchers pitched to 1-1 records in five spring appearances. Beckett finished with a 3.72 ERA, while Sabathia finished at 7.23.

Sox Notes: Sox set for Yankees on Opening Night; moves made in Washington Saturday

Get set for Opening Night with these pre-Opening Night notes and our 2010 Red Sox preview that was posted on Friday afternoon.

Finishing touches were made to Fenway Park prior to Opening Night against the Yankees, while the Red Sox were playing in Washington on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for around 8:10 on Sunday night. (Jonathan Wiggs/Boston Globe)

On Easter Sunday night, the Boston Red Sox will host the New York Yankees in a nationally-televised battle on ESPN to commence the 2010 Major League Baseball season and open a three-game set. Josh Beckett will take the ball for the BoSox, opposite Yankees left-handed ace C.C. Sabathia in the opener.

Beckett was 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in five spring starts, while Sabathia was also one up and one down, with a 7.23 ERA in six appearances (including one minor league start). Last year, both were the staff aces for their respective ballclubs, as Beckett was 17-6 with a 3.79 ERA and Sabathia was 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA.

Sunday’s game will mark the 40th time the Red Sox will open at home (36th at Fenway and four times at Huntington Avenue Grounds) and will be the first game played at Fenway Park on an “Opening Night.” These hated rivals have met 27 times to open a season, with the Yankees holding a 16-10-1 edge. The Red Sox have been losers the last two times out on Opening Day in 1992 and 2005 at Yankee Stadium. In the three previous openers at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were victorious.

RED SOX-YANKEES SERIES SCHEDULE

Sunday, April 4 (8:05 p.m.)
Josh Beckett vs. C.C. Sabathia

Tuesday, April 6 (7:10 p.m.)
Jon Lester vs. A.J. Burnett

Wednesday, April 7 (7:10 p.m.)
John Lackey vs. Andy Pettitte

Following the series against the Yankees, Boston will hit the road for the first time, when they will make a three-game stop in Kansas City next weekend, before traveling to Minneapolis to play the Twins in a three-in-four series at the new Target Field.

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Manager Terry Francona said that he will likely go with the starters that he put on the field on Saturday in Washington, a 6-1 win over the Nationals:

Jacoby Ellsbury LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Victor Martinez C
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
J.D. Drew RF
Mike Cameron CF
Marco Scutaro SS

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Josh Reddick, who made a great catch in right field on Saturday, was optioned to Pawtucket. The Sox kept him in big league camp just in case Jeremy Hermida was not ready. He will be with the PawSox, who open the season on Thursday against Rochester at McCoy Stadium.