The Boston Red Sox threw a lavish 100th birthday party for venerable Fenway Park Friday, but the New York Yankees dampened the festivities with a 6-2 victory. The Yankees showed just how dangerous today's sluggers can be in a ballpark built in the “dead ball” era, when baseballs didn't fly so far, belting five home runs, including two by Eric Chavez. Nick Swisher, Russell Martin and Alex Rodriguez also homered — Rodriguez notching the 631st of his career to move past former teammate Ken Griffey Jr. on the all-time list. Rodriguez now trails just Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willy Mays on the all-time home run list, with Mays 29 ahead. For the Red Sox and their fervent fans, Friday was all about Fenway, the oldest operating big-league ballpark which hosted its first American League game on April 20, 1912 — a 7-6 11-inning Red Sox win against the forerunners of the Yankees, the New York Highlanders. Both the Yankees and the Red Sox donned old-style uniforms, Boston players in off-white with “Red Sox” lettered on their chests and the Yankees in pre-pinstripe gray with “NY” on their caps and shirts. In emotional pre-game festivities, a bevy of Red Sox greats took the field, including Hall-of-Famers Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, and Bobby Doerr. Terry Francona, whose job as manager ended in acrimony after last season's September collapse, had threatened to stay away but relented and was greeted by a loud ovation. The Yankees watched and applauded the pre-game ceremony from their dugout, then got down to the business of spoiling Boston's fun. Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova got the win, allowing two runs on seven hits in his six innings. Nova walked none and struck out five and hasn't lost since June 3, 2011. Twins 5, Rays 4: Josh Willingham extended his season-opening hitting streak to 14 games with a go-ahead three-run double and the Minnesota Twins beat the Tampa Bay Rays. Willingham's hit in the seventh off Joel Peralta puts him one away from tying Kirby Puckett's team mark of hitting safely in 15 straight games to start the 1994 season. Blue Jays 4, Royals 3: Jose Bautista singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays turned their first triple play in 33 years, beating Kansas City to hand the slumping Royals their eighth straight defeat. Kansas City had runners on first and second in the third inning when Eric Hosmer lined out to first baseman Adam Lind, who stepped on the bag to double off Yuniesky Betancourt. Lind then fired to shortstop Yunel Escobar to retire Alex Gordon, who had strayed off second. Rangers, Tigers ppd: The Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers have been postponed by rain. The second game of a four-game set at Comerica Park was called after a 25-minute rain delay at the start Friday night. The teams were to play a day-night doubleheader Saturday. In other games it was: Angels 6, Baltimore 3; Cleveland 4, Oakland 3; White Sox 7, Seattle 3.
