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BOSTON - Nine decades in the waiting and five months in the planning, the Red Sox celebrated their 2004 World Series title on Monday with gaudy rings, a jumbo pennant and the best sign of all for a repeat in '05: a win over the rival Yankees.
"Now we can put that to bed and get on with 2005," said knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the longest-tenured player on the team. "It was a great run last year and it was very exciting to be a part of that. I think once the game started, it's time to move on."
Wakefield pitched seven strong innings and Doug Mirabelli homered to give the Red Sox an 8-1 win over the Yankees, who played compliant guests by watching and clapping during the hourlong ring ceremony and then fumbling away the game.
Mike Mussina allowed seven runs - four earned - on seven hits, three walks and five strikeouts in five innings. Alex Rodriguez, the focus of much Boston's ire during the offseason and the fans' taunts during the game, misplayed a grounder for an error that ushered in three Red Sox runs as they made it 7-1 in the fifth.
Jason Giambi received mild boos in his first road game since his offseason was tarnished by the steroids scandal.
With manager Terry Francona back in the dugout, the Red Sox took a 2-0 lead on Mirabelli's second-inning homer and made it 4-0 on Kevin Millar's two-run single in the third. After Rodriguez singled, stole second and scored on a throwing error by shortstop Edgar Renteria, the Yankees third baseman gave back three runs with an error in the bottom half.
That was plenty for Wakefield, who allowed one unearned run on five hits while striking out five.
And it was plenty for the Boston fans, who filled the ballpark hours before the first pitch despite a 46-degree gametime temperature.
It was 2:05 p.m. - an hour before the scheduled first pitch - when the words "World Series Champion Boston Red Sox" were first spoken over the loudspeaker, drawing a huge cheer from the 33,702 in the crowd.
Fans cheered for a Green Monster-sized World Series champion banner hung over the famous leftfield Wall, and the regular-sized one that will fly on the centerfield flagpole for this season. Former shortstop Johnny Pesky, who first joined the team 64 years ago and never saw it win a title, helped raise the flag to half-staff along with ex-Red Sox outfielder Carl Yastrzemski.
And they cheered for the Boston sports greats - Bruin Bobby Orr, Celtic Bill Russell and Patriots Tedy Bruschi and Richard Seymour - who tied together the city's championship history by throwing out ceremonial first pitches.
"It's the home opener. We're playing the Yankees. We've got a ring ceremony. All of a sudden, you look up and (Derek) Jeter's in the batter's box," said Francona, who returned after missing four games with a viral infection that was feared to be a heart problem. "It was going quickly. But Wakefield kind of took care of the rest of that for us. He was fantastic."
BLUE JAYS 10, ATHLETICS 3: Frank Catalanotto had a two-run triple and a sacrifice fly and Eric Hinske had three hits and two RBIs to lead visiting Toronto. The Blue Jays' powerful lineup clobbered right-hander Kirk Saarloos in a hurry, getting four runs and six hits in the first two innings.
WHITE SOX 2, INDIANS 1: Freddy Garcia, who went 9-0 in day games last season, pitched eight dominant innings and Scott Podsednik drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh, spoiling Cleveland's home opener. Garcia held the Indians to one run and four hits as the Sox improved to 3-1 against Cleveland this season.
ANGELS 7, RANGERS 6 (10): Orlando Cabrera hit the first pitch of the 10th inning for a home run, spoiling Texas' home opener.
Before the game, the widow of Johnny Oates helped unveil the former manager's No.26 jersey on the leftfield wall. The Rangers will retire the number in a ceremony later this season. Oates, who managed the Rangers to their only three AL West titles (1996, 1998 and 1999), died Dec.24 from a brain tumor.
MARINERS 8, ROYALS 2: Spot starter Ryan Franklin took a three-hitter into the ninth inning and Adrian Beltre homered to help Seattle spoil Kansas City's home opener. Franklin was 1-10 on the road last year amid a 4-16 campaign