Nine decades in the waiting and five months in the planning, theBoston Red Sox celebrated their 2004 World Series title Monday atFenway Park with gaudy rings, a jumbo pennant and the best sign ofall for a repeat in 2005: a victory against the New York Yankees.
Tim Wakefield pitched seven strong innings, and Doug Mirabellihomered to give the Red Sox an 8-1 victory against the Yankees, whoplayed compliant guests by watching and clapping during the hourlongring ceremony, then fumbling away the game.
"Now we can put that to bed and get on with 2005," said Wakefield(1-0), who allowed an unearned run and five hits during his stint."It was a great run last year, and it was very exciting to be a partof that. I think once the game started, it's time to move on."
Losing pitcher Mike Mussina (0-1) allowed seven runs -- fourearned -- and seven hits in five innings. Alex Rodriguez, the focusof many Red Sox barbs during the offseason and of the fans' tauntsduring the game, misplayed a grounder for an error that led to threeunearned runs in the fourth.
With manager Terry Francona back in the dugout after missing fourgames with a viral infection, the Red Sox took a 2-0 lead onMirabelli's homer in the second and made it 4-0 on Kevin Millar's two-run single in the third. After Rodriguez singled, stole second andscored on a throwing error by Red Sox shortstop Edgar Renteria in thefourth, he gave back three runs with his error in the bottom of theinning.
"[The Red Sox] certainly deserved everything they got today,"Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "They won the championship last year,and even though you envy what's going on and you're a little jealous,it doesn't mean that you can ignore it.
"I think everybody was curious just to see what the Red Sox woulddo on the day that they got their World Series rings."
Boston sports legends Bill Russell (Celtics) and Bobby Orr(Bruins) and Patriots stars Tedy Bruschi and Richard Seymour threwout ceremonial first pitches. Bruschi walked with a slight limp aftersuffering a stroke two months ago.
ANGELS 7, RANGERS 6: Orlando Cabrera homered on the first pitch ofthe 10th inning to help Los Angeles spoil Texas' home opener.
The Rangers built a 6-2 lead on homers by Alfonso Soriano, RodBarajas and Hank Blalock in the first five innings, but the Angelsrallied to tie the score on a two-run double by Steve Finley in theeighth and a leadoff homer by Darin Erstad in the ninth beforewinning it on Cabrera's homer against losing pitcher R.A. Dickey (0-1) in the 10th.
BLUE JAYS 10, ATHLETICS 3: Frank Catalanotto drove in three runswith a triple and a sacrifice fly, Eric Hinske had three hits and twoRBI and Gustavo Chacin (2-0) allowed two runs and eight hits in sixinnings as Toronto ruined Oakland's home opener.
MARINERS 8, ROYALS 2: Ryan Franklin (1-0) yielded two runs andfive hits in 82/3 innings, and Adrian Beltre hit a two-run homer tospark a seven-run seventh that carried Seattle past Kansas City inthe Royals' home opener.
AP
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