Script looks familiar for Ramirez, Red Sox

TOKYO -- Daisuke Matsuzaka got the Tokyo Dome fans revved up, and Manny Ramirez struck the winning pose.

In the earliest major league opener, the Boston Red Sox got off to a good start in their World Series title defense.

Ramirez hit his second two-run double in the 10th inning -- admiring his drive from the batter’s box, thinking it was a three-run homer -- and the Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics, 6-5, on Tuesday.

A crowd of 44,628, including fans from Boston, cheered at the Tokyo Dome, which staged baseball’s opener for the third time in nine years.

Ramirez hit a tying, two-double in the sixth inning, and rookie Brandon Moss hit a run-scoring single that gave Boston a 3-2 lead and chased Oakland starter Joe Blanton.

Matsuzaka left after five wild innings and 95 pitches, and Jack Hannahan’s two-run homer against Kyle Snyder put Oakland ahead, 4-3, in the sixth. Moss, playing because J.D. Drew hurt his back in batting practice, hit a solo homer in the ninth inning against Huston Street.

Then, in the 10th, Julio Lugo reached on an infield single, Dustin Pedroia sacrificed and David Ortiz was intentionally walked with two out.

Ramirez hit a drive to deep center and was sure it would be a home run. It went off the wall, driving in two runs.

Jonathan Papelbon took the mound in the bottom half. He walked Daric Barton and gave up a one-out run-scoring double to Emil Brown, who was tagged out in a rundown between second and third.

After two singles, Kurt Suzuki hit a game-ending groundout, giving Papelbon the save and securing the win for Hideki Okajima, who used to pitch in the Tokyo Dome for the Yomiuri Giants.

Matsuzaka struck out six and walked five in five innings.

“Given the opportunity to start on opening day, I did feel a little nervous and a little excited and that might have shown,” said Matsuzaka, who signed a $52-million, six-year contract with Boston before last season after eight years with the Seibu Lions.