Grand Opening!

Sox: 5 Rays: 3

The Red Sox got the '09 Season off to a good start with a victory over division rival Rays today on Opening Day at Fenway Park. After a nice, albeit ringless, opening ceremony, Josh Beckett took the mound and looked every bit like the Josh Beckett that dominated in '07, making quick work of the Rays in the first inning. Bottom of the first, Jake whiffs, but Pedey, always one to start off with a bang, delivers a ball into the monster seats and takes his jog around the bases to give the Sox their first run. Papi follows Pedey with a single to center. Youk flies out, Drew doubles, Bay walks, and the bases are loaded. Mikey Lowell comes up and ends the inning with pop-up to Navarro.

Beckett coasts through the second inning, but hits a speed bump in the third, walking two batters in a row and giving up a run via Carl Crawford's sac fly. In the bottom of the third, the Sox add three more runs when Pedey walks, Papi flies out, Youk hits a single, Drew grounds out, driving in Pedey, Bay singles, Lowell doubles, and Lowrie singles. Things aren't looking too good for Shields, who seems to have the most trouble in odd-numbered innings this game. Beckett settles down, and Shields does, too, but not for long. After Tek goes yard in the bottom of the 6th, Shields is outta there.

After Beckett pitches 7 innings of 1-run, 2-hit ball, Oki comes on for the 8th. He gets off to a very shaky start, hitting one batter and walking the next. He K's Crawford, then is lifted for Masterson. With Masterson on the mound, the inherited runners double-steal, putting both of them in scoring position for Longoria's single to right. Masterson recovers by fanning Pena for the infamous Golden Sombrero and getting Burrell to fly out to right.

9th inning in a save situation: It's Papelbon Time. He sets down the side in order to grab his first save of the season and put the Red Sox in the win column.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!