BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Daniel Nava & Clay Buchholz
lead the Sox in Fenway's opener

April 8, 2013 ... With the shadows hovering over home plate for hours, the big hit seemed all too elusive for both teams in Monday's Fenway Park opener.  But Daniel Nava emerged with one out in the bottom of the seventh and unloaded for a three-run blast that soared over the Green Monster and into a garbage bin on Lansdowne Street for the game-breaking hit that led the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Orioles, Boston's ninth straight win in its home opener. 

The moment was somewhat symbolic because Nava's career also seemed lost in the shadows at various times.  Last year at this time, Nava wasn't even on Boston's 40-man roster. This, after a rough 2011 washed away his dream start in '10, when he smashed the first pitch of his career over Boston's bullpen for a grand slam against the Phillies on national television.  And to find Nava in the first place, the Red Sox had to scour the roster of the Chico Outlaws, an independent league squad.  Speaking of that journey Nava has taken, consider that Monday was his first Major League home opener and he is 30 years old.

His moment came when he stepped up with two on and one out against Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen, who had been marvelous for most of the day.  With the count 1-1, Nava got a 91-mph fastball and belted it for his second homer in the last two days, snapping a scoreless tie in the process.

Thanks to Nava, Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz was able to get the win he deserved instead of a no-decision.  Buchholz fired seven shutout innings, allowing three hits and no runs. He walked four and struck out eight, improving to 2-0 while lowering his ERA to 0.64.  Buchholz ended his 113-pitch performance with a strikeout of Steve Pearce with two outs in the seventh, stranding Matt Wieters on second.

But the moment of the day belonged to Nava. Victorino, who played for the Phillies in 2010 when Nava made that spectacular debut, was glad he was on the other side this time.

The Red Sox have won nine consecutive home openers, the longest active streak in the majors. More importantly, they are 5-2 and playing the way Farrell hoped they would when spring training started.  The Sox are undefeated in the four games started by Buchholz and No. 1 starter Jon Lester. The two have allowed three earned runs over 26 innings.

The Red Sox commemorated the 60th anniversary of their partnership with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, hailed as the longest-standing and most extensive team/charity relationship in all of professional sports.  The Red Sox adopted the Jimmy Fund as their charity when the Boston Braves, who originally had championed the cause, departed for Milwaukee. Before the Braves left town, team owner Lou Perini appealed to Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey to take up the cause.  Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was introduced to the crowd after the sixth inning. The 83-year-old stood up and proudly showed off the red shirt he was wearing

Stephen Drew, who has recovered from a concussion suffered in spring training, is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday. He played his fourth injury rehabilitation game for Double A Portland Monday and went 1 for 3 with a homer and a walk.  John  Farrell and general manager Ben Cherington have said that Drew, who was signed to a one-year, $9.5 million deal, would not lose his job. That could mean Jose Iglesias is headed for Triple A Pawtucket.

David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with a double in an extended spring training intrasquad game in Fort Myers, Fla.  He is expected to play two more games in Florida before joining Pawtucket for a rehab assignment Thursday.  Lefthander Franklin Morales (lower back) is scheduled for an inning in an extended spring training game Tuesday. He will pitch in three extended games before starting a rehab assignment.  Lefthander Craig Breslow (shoulder) is scheduled for a one-inning stint in extended spring training this weekend.