BOSTON -- As Fenway Park rocked with excitement in a furious five-run bottom of the first inning in Friday’s home opener, a player who won the American League’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Awards in the same season a half-century ago was swept up in the frenetic energy of the day.
“It’s an emotional time for the players and for the fans,” said Fred Lynn, who conducted an interview behind the press box just after the first pitch. “There’s nothing like Opening Day.”
The 114th home opener at Fenway -- a 13-9 victory by the Red Sox over the Cardinals -- had a little something for everyone.
In pregame ceremonies, Lynn was joined by legendary former star teammates Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk and Dwight Evans as part of a contingent on hand to celebrate the iconic season of 1975 while mourning the loss of ace Luis Tiant, who died in October.
The Red Sox are a team where tradition matters, as the fabled teams, such as the ‘75 pennant winner, get remembered forever.
For the first time in years, there’s a chance Boston will have such a team. This marked manager Alex Cora’s first home opener victory since his first season at the helm in 2018, and Boston’s first as a team since ‘20.
“That’s a different first inning than the last few home openers,” said Cora. “It was the other way around the last few years, and for us to score five, I was thinking about it … that feels a lot better.”
Prior to the game, the club had a press conference to celebrate the six-year, $170 million contract extension with ace lefty Garrett Crochet that was signed Tuesday.
Once the festivities got underway, the good vibes continued.
Alex Bregman, the team’s other marquee acquisition during the offseason, belted an RBI double down the line in left in his first home plate appearance with Boston.
“Obviously, the energy was in the ballpark,” Bregman said. “It's a lot of fun to be out there playing, and especially after a long road trip, not being here for a while. And then coming back and feeling that energy, it brought all of us into the game really nicely and we’re looking forward to continuing it.”
Trevor Story, who welled up with tears at last year’s home opener as he discussed upcoming surgery on his left shoulder, was all smiles this time.
The shortstop walloped a three-run homer that deflected off of a sign behind the Monster Seats.
“Just being a year removed from all that went on last year. I missed the home opener, so, this was a special, special day for me,” Story said. “And to have my family here, especially since we got the win. They were able to see it, they were in the stands. Yeah, good day.”
Just as Story was being crowned with the team’s new home run hero costume, a Wally the Green Monster head, Wilyer Abreu went deep to right on the first pitch to make it back-to-back jacks, capping the damage in the first against Cardinals righty Eric Fedde.
The Red Sox, who finished below .500 at home the past two years and haven’t had a real Fenway advantage since ‘21, finally have a lineup suited to do damage at home.
On a day the Cardinals were swinging the lumber with authority as well, the Red Sox countered with one in the third, two in the fifth, three in the seventh and two in the eighth. Seven of the first eight hitters in the lineup had a multihit game.
“Early and late. I think we have that type of offense, those three guys [at the top] -- [Jarren] Duran, [Rafael] Devers, Bregman -- any day we can score quick. And then when [Triston] Casas and Trevor and the rest of them are swinging the bat the way they are, we become very dangerous,” said Cora. “Love the fact that we didn't stop. We needed every run at the end.”
Fittingly, those Sox teams of the mid 1970s were also known for having thunder across the lineup.
Cora made it a point to shake hands with as many of the decorated alumni as he could.
“I mean, for me, there’s some dudes there,” Cora said. “It’s probably the only opportunity to at least shake their hands and say thank you. That’s what I was telling them, ‘Thank you for being here, it means a lot.”’