Opening Night Greatness

What more could you want from Fenway Park on opening night of the MLB.  A classic Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry game.

The game started off as a pitcher's duel, but that was soon lost by the second inning when the 6 through 9 hitters started to get to Red Sox starter, Josh Beckett.  Beckett gave up back-to-back homeruns in the 2nd inning that gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead.  Jorge Posada hit a screamer down the first base line that hit the foul pole for a homerun and Curtis Granderson hit his first homerun of the season and as a Yankee. 

CC Sabathia kept the Red Sox hitters off balance through his five and two-thrids innings of work.  Boston only had two hits through 4 innings until Joe Girardi took out Sabathia late in the 5th inning. 

With a 5-2 lead, it was up to the Yankees bullpen to give Sabathia the win.  Unfortunately things went south for the Yankees as Boston tied the game up in the 6th inning. 

The Yankees struck back in the top of the 7th inning, but failed to hold onto the lead as Red Sox second basemen, Dustin Pedroia, hit a game tying 2-run homerun.  The Red Sox later tacked on 2 more runs in the 8th inning to secure their lead.

In the 9th inning, it was Jonathan Papelbon time.  Papelbon earned his first save of the year.  Giving up one hit as the Red Sox take the 1st of 18 games against the Yankees this season.