Red Sox halt skid, top Padres 5-2 in home opener. Here's how
Sonny Gray delivered six veteran innings. and Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer provided the pop as the Red Sox opened Fenway schedule with a win.
BOSTON – Friday afternoon finally offered the Red Sox a chance to breathe. Boston was unpacked, rested and ready after waiting the better part of two months to start the 2026 season here. Spring training drudgery and a disappointing six-game road trip to begin the campaign were all but forgotten during this first time out at Fenway Park.
Sonny Gray delivered six veteran innings. Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer transformed what had been a popgun attack against the Reds and Astros into something a little more dangerous. Greg Weissert, Justin Slaten and Aroldis Chapman dominated out of a bullpen absent Garrett Whitlock due to paternity leave.
The Padres were the unfortunate victims in front of this sellout crowd of 36,233 fans. The Red Sox snapped a tie thanks to a pair of big swings in the bottom of the sixth inning, closing out a 5-2 victory over San Diego on April 3. “I was looking forward to being back here,” Gray said.
“I think that’s also something we all feel good about – just being back here. “We were on the road for a long time. Spring training, then you open on the road – you're living out of a suitcase for a while.