Big Papi does it again

David Ortiz #34 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning during the game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on April 29, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts.

(April 29, 2016 - Source: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images North America)

DH David Ortiz’ home run in the eighth inning rallies the Boston Red Sox past the New York Yankees 4-2 in the opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park.

The Yankees were the first team to score when DH Alex Rodriguez hit a leadoff homer in the second inning. It was A-Rod’s fourth home run of the season and 691st of his career. He is batting a career-low .194 with 8 runs and 8 RBI this year.

New York extended their lead in the fifth inning. With two outs SS Didi Gregorius was hit by a pitch and CF Jacoby Ellsbury, a former Red Sox, singled to center. LF Brett Gardner followed with an RBI-single to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead.

The Red Sox tied the game in the seventh inning. 3B Travis Shaw and LF Brock Holt each reached base on a one-out single. This was Boston’s first multi-hit inning of the game and it paid off. CF Jackie Bradley came to the plate with two outs and hit a double into the Green Monster, which drove in two runs for the Red Sox.

SP Masahiro Tanaka pitched outstanding to this point but the Yankees decided that 99 pitches were enough. Tanaka gave up 6 hits and struck out 5. His ERA is 2.87 on the season with a 0.96 WHIP.

In the eighth inning Boston put two more runs on the scoreboard. SS Xander Bogaerts reached first base on a one-out single when 2B Starlin Castro tried to catch the ground ball with his bare hands but missed it. David Ortiz stepped to the plate to face RP Dellin Betances and hammered the ball over the wall for a two-run homer.

David Ortiz, who will retire at the end of the season, is batting .307 with 11 runs, 4 HR and 18 RBI. Tonight’s long ball was the 507th of his career.

CL Craig Kimbrel had an almost effortless 1-2-3 inning to earn his seventh save of the season.

Boston’s SP Henry Owens pitched 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 walks and 2 earned runs while striking out 3. His ERA and WHIP improved to 4.82 and 1.93, respectively.

The Boston Red Sox (13-10) have won five of their last six games and are second in the AL East, 1.5 games behind Baltimore.

The New York Yankees (8-13) have lost three games in a row and are last in the AL East, trailing the Orioles by 5.5 games.