Josh Beckett Dominates As Rays Lose Season Opener

After a 27-hour weather delay, the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays started their 2009 Major League Baseball seasons.

The Rays, coming off an amazing 2008 season in which they defeated the Red Sox in seven games to win their first AL Pennant, had no answers for Boston's ace Josh Beckett.

Beckett coming off an injury in 2008 could not have pitched any better against new rival Tampa Bay. Beckett went seven innings on 93 pitches, allowing just two hits and one earned run, while striking out 10 batters and only walking three.

Boston got things started very early, as reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia hit a solo home run in his first at-bat of the season. Tampa was able to grind home a run in the top of third when Carl Crawford hit a sac fly to bring in Gabe Gross.

However, Boston had an answer in the bottom of the third, as they were able to knock Tampa starter James Shields for three more runs.

In the bottom of the sixth inning Boston catcher Jason Varitek, coming off a bad hitting year, hit a solo home run down the right field line around Pesky's Pole.

In the eighth, the Rays made an attempt at a comeback when Evan Longoria singled in two runs off of Hideki Okajima, but Carlos Pena struck out for the fourth time in as many at-bats, and Pat Burrell lined out to right field to end the inning.

Jonathan Papelbon came in for his first save attempt on the season, and went 1-2-3, to finish off the Rays, and take the first game of the season 5-3.

The Rays 3-4-5 hitters went a combined 1-12 with five strikeouts.

The Rays and Red Sox will play tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. with pitchers Scott Kazmir and Jon Lester on the mound.