Boston Opens Up Beating Tigers 5-2

The new season looked just like the old one at Fenway Park: Wade Boggs got three hits, Roger Clemens won and the Detroit Tigers lost.

Opening day, delayed for only the second time in history, finally came and the Boston Red Sox began in style, beating Detroit 5-2 today in the first game of the year.

Boggs got the first hit of the season and finished 3-for-4 with a walk. His leadoff single in the first inning helped set up Dwight Evans’ three-run double off Jack Morris, and Boggs singled home a run in the second.

Clemens held the Tigers hitless until Tony Phillips singled to start the sixth inning, and allowed three hits, struck out five and walked two. He retired the first two batters in the seventh and then left the game after throwing 101 pitches.

Rob Murphy pitched two innings and Lee Smith relieved with two outs and two on in the ninth. Phillips got an infield hit that loaded the bases but Trammell, who homered off Smith to win the 1988 opener at Fenway, struck out to end the game.