Red Sox Celebrate, Rout Yankees

With large rings and an emotional flag-raising by old-timers who never got a chance to fly their own, the Boston Red Sox celebrated their 2004 World Series title and turned to its defense, beating the New York Yankees, 8-1, Monday in the Fenway Park opener.

“Now we can put that to bed and get on with 2005,” said knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the longest-tenured player on the team. “It was a great run last year, and it was very exciting to be a part of that. I think once the game started, it’s time to move on.”

Wakefield (1-0) gave up one unearned run, five hits and two walks, and struck out five in seven innings. Doug Mirabelli homered, and the Yankees played compliant guests by watching and clapping during the hourlong ring ceremony and then fumbling away the game.

Alex Rodriguez, the focus of much Boston ire during the off-season and the fans’ taunts during the game, misplayed a grounder for an error that let in three runs.

Filling the ballpark hours before the first pitch, 33,702 withstood a 46-degree temperature and a strong wind that kept the World Series flag flapping stiffly above the Green Monster in left field.

They cheered as two Red Sox greats, shortstop Johnny Pesky and Hall of Fame outfielder Carl Yastrzemski, raised the flag that celebrates the team’s first World Series title since 1918.

“I never dreamed anything like this would ever happen to me,” said Pesky, who first joined the team 64 years ago. “It’s just fun to be with people that really love the game.”

Chicago 2, Cleveland 1 -- Freddy Garcia (1-0), who was 9-0 in day games last season, held the Indians to one run and four hits in eight innings, and Scott Podsednik drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh to spoil Cleveland’s home opener.

Garcia beat Kevin Millwood (0-1), who signed a one-year, $7-million free-agent contract with Cleveland in the off-season.

Seattle 8, Kansas City 2 -- Spot starter Ryan Franklin (1-0) took a three-hitter into the ninth inning at Kansas City, Mo., and Adrian Beltre homered to lead the Mariners.

Franklin was 1-10 on the road last year and 4-16 overall.

A record Kauffman Stadium home-opening crowd of 41,788 watched Franklin beat Runelveys Hernandez (1-1), who gave up six hits through 7 1/3 innings before Jeremy Reed’s one-out double in the eighth.

Toronto 10, Oakland 3 -- Frank Catalanotto had a two-run triple, and Eric Hinske had three hits and two runs batted in for the Blue Jays at Oakland.

Gustavo Chacin (2-0) didn’t give up a run until Eric Byrnes’ homer leading off the sixth inning.

The left-hander worked with a lead from the beginning in his fourth career start.

The Blue Jays’ potent lineup got to right-hander Kirk Saarloos (1-1) in a hurry, getting four runs and six hits in the first two innings.