By Ros Krasny
BOSTON, April 13 (Reuters) – The Boston Red Sox smacked
divisional rivals Tampa Bay Rays 12-2 in their home opener on
Friday, starting their 101th season at storied Fenway Park on a
high note.
The win was a relief to the team’s new management, which was
put in place in an off-season purge after Boston’s September
collapse caused them to miss the playoffs shattering their World
Series dreams.
The Red Sox have won each home opener since 2005 but
expectations of adding to that run of success were low after the
team collected just one win from their first six games.
The lopsided victory, however, lifted the spirits of Red Sox
Nation as the team gets set to celebrate the official 100th
anniversary of their famous ball yard next Friday against bitter
rivals the New York Yankees.
Right-handed Boston starter Josh Beckett turned in eight
solid innings of work against the Rays allowing just one run on
five hits to earn the win and applause from the sellout crowd of
37,032.
A three-run fourth inning blew the game open for the home
side and helped see off Rays starting pitcher, left-hander David
Price, who lasted just three innings yielding three runs on four
hits.
Boston put the game out of reach with an eight run burst in
the eight that savaged the Ray’s relief pitching. Right-hander
Josh Lueke got the brunt of the punishment, giving up four runs
on six hits.
Red Sox first base Adrian Gonzalez had three hits driving in
a run and scoring another while third baseman Kevin Youkilis
contributed a pair of hits and three RBI.
The only down note on an upbeat afternoon was a possible
injury to Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who was forced
to leave the game in the fourth inning after sliding into second
and hurting his right shoulder.
Runner-up for American League most valuable player honors
last season, Ellsbury walked off the field in visible pain with
his right arm bent at the elbow.
(Reporting By Ros Krasny)
