Ex-Hendricken star Michael King starts for Padres at Red Sox home opener

BOSTON – It requires less effort now for Michael King to keep his competitive juices in check here. Fenway Park was the place closest to where he grew up and went to school. The former standout at Bishop Hendricken and Boston College will always feel some sort of attachment, even as a visiting pitcher.

Friday afternoon marked his seventh career appearance and third start at this venue. That it came on what developed into a sun-splashed Opening Day for the Red Sox was just part of the package. King absorbed his first defeat of the season with the Padres, and it just happened to be in front of family and friends.

Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer each cracked home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning while lifting Boston to a 5-2 triumph on April 3. The sellout crowd of 36,233 fans saw the home team snap a 2-2 tie thanks to a solo shot by Contreras and a two-run blast by Mayer against reliever Wandy Peralta. The Red Sox ended their five-game losing streak thanks to what qualifies for them to date as an offensive breakout.

“It’s always fun,” King said. “Good atmosphere. Warmer than I expected – I was kind of wishing for it to be a little bit colder.