BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Mike Napoli leads the
Red Sox in a win against
the Jays

April 5, 2013 ... For Red Sox fans who go back a couple of decades or more, Friday night's contest against the Blue Jays probably had them reminiscing about the teams' fierce American League East rivalry in the late 1980s and early '90s.  At last, the buzz is back between these AL East rivals, and the Red Sox edged out the Blue Jays, 6-4, in a thriller in front of 45,328 at Rogers Centre.

If John Farrell's decision to leave the Blue Jays' helm after just two years to manage the Red Sox created much of the high-voltage energy that was prevalent on Friday, that's fine.  Nobody is ever going to complain about a postseason atmosphere in April.  And as Farrell alluded to, players made the difference in this game, not the manager.

For the Red Sox, Mike Napoli was particularly big. After going 2-for-14 in Boston's opening series in New York, the first baseman drove in three runs, including a two-run homer in the top of the fifth that gave his team a 4-1 lead.  Considering the Red Sox went 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position, Napoli's homer was critical.  Though Napoli's homer -- the first of the season for Boston -- seemed to give the Sox momentum, this game swayed back and forth.  The Jays chipped their way back from that 4-1 deficit and completed the comeback when Jose Reyes, who had four hits on the night, drilled a solo homer to tie the game in the seventh against Junichi Tazawa.

But there was no deflation in Boston's dugout. Jonny Gomes pinch-hit for Daniel Nava and jump-started an eighth-inning rally with a one-out walk. Dustin Pedroia drilled a double to left-center, putting runners on second and third with one out.  Then it was Napoli's turn. He didn't go deep this time, but his grounder to third, which Maicer Izturis made a terrific play on, was enough to get a run home and put the Sox ahead for good. After fielding the ball from his knees, the only play Izturis had was at first, where he narrowly got Napoli.  Will Middlebrooks gave the Sox some insurance by smashing a solo homer to left off Jeremy Jeffrey to open the ninth.

It was a so-so first start of the season for Sox lefty Felix Doubront. He went five-plus innings, allowing nine hits and three runs before he exited with a runner on and no outs in the sixth. Doubront walked none and struck out six.  The lefty took a no decision while Tazawa, despite giving up the long ball to Reyes, picked up the win.  The Red Sox are off to a 3-1 start.  The Red Sox went three games without a home run to start the season, the first time that has happened since 1993. That team went five games before Mo Vaughn connected.

Stephen Drew started his second consecutive game for Double A Portland and went seven innings at shortstop. He was 1 for 3 with a double and a sacrifice fly. Farrell said the plan was for Drew to play nine innings on Saturday.  In Fort Myers, Fla., David Ortiz did some running in the outfield but did not run the bases because of wet conditions. He remains scheduled to play in an extended spring training game on Monday.