Donaldson lifts Yankees to opening win over Red Sox in 11th

NEW YORK — Fans packed Yankee Stadium and red, white and blue bunting was out on a sun-splashed afternoon, just like opening days before the pandemic.

Shadows had crawled across the infield by the time Josh Donaldson capped his New York debut with a performance reminiscent of the Yankees of old — their first walk-off win on opening day since Yogi Berra charged across the plate on Andy Carey’s single to beat the Washington Senators in 1957.

“The energy in the stadium, the atmosphere was pretty electric,” Donaldson said Friday after his 11th-inning single lifted the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 6-5. “It doesn’t get any bigger than this right here.”

Donaldson, the 2015 AL MVP with Toronto, was acquired from Minnesota on March 13. He completed a comeback from a 3-0, first-inning deficit, becoming just the third Yankee with a walk-off RBI in his first game after Roy Weatherly in the 1943 opener and Chase Headley in July 2014, according the Elias Sports Bureau.

“It’s amazing for him to come and to get on the good side of this place right away,” teammate Giancarlo Stanton said.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, also obtained in the Donaldson trade, started the inning as the automatic runner at second base in the first extra-inning game of the strange rule’s third season.

Donaldson hit a three-hopper up the middle against rookie Kutter Crawford leading off the 11th, just past the dives of new Boston second baseman Trevor Story and shortstop Jonathan Araúz, who took over in the 10th after Xander Bogaerts strained his right hamstring.

Kiner-Falefa slid across the plate well ahead of center fielder Kiké Hernández’s one-hop throw. Donaldson ran all the way to second and flipped his helmet, then was mobbed by teammates.

“Some people handle it really well, some people not as much,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “There’s a level of wanting to ingratiate yourself to the new town, new people, new fans, teammates.”

It was the Yankees’ sixth walk-off win in an opener, the team’s first over Boston since 1906.

The Red Sox led 3-0 on Rafael Devers’ two-run homer and J.D. Martinez’s RBI double before Gerrit Cole got a single out, the Yankees ace out of sorts after a lengthy pregame ceremony disrupted his routine.

Seats were filled with a sellout crowd of 46,097, COVID-19 protocols were dropped and opening-day festivities returned after two seasons altered by the pandemic.

Ukraine’s flag was raised and its national anthem played before “The Star-Spangled Banner” during ceremonies that included a moment of silence for war victims.

“Festivities got a little away from the schedule,” Cole said.

Anthony Rizzo had a two-run drive in the bottom half and Stanton tied it at 3 with a leadoff homer in the fourth. Both were off Nathan Eovaldi, who beat Cole in last year’s AL wild-card game.

Alex Verdugo pushed Boston back ahead 4-3 with an RBI single in the sixth off Clay Holmes through a drawn-in infield, but DJ LeMahieu homered off Garrett Whitlock in the eighth.

Bogaerts’s third hit put the Red Sox ahead in the 10th, an RBI single against winner Michael King, the Yankees eighth pitcher.

Pinch-hitter Gleyber Torres, out of the starting lineup in favor of LeMahieu at second base, tied it in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly off Ryan Brasier.

“I’m sure today was a really tough day for him,” Boone said. “That’s a tough spot where you’re down 0-2, shadows, late, first at-bat of the season, everything on the line.”

JUDGE-MENT DAY

New York star Aaron Judge let his deadline pass for a long-term contract. Judge, who said he will not negotiate during the season, went 2 for 5, including a two-out double in the ninth off Hansel Robles. He was stranded when Stanton struck out for the fourth time.

STAN-TONIAN

Stanton has five opening-day homers, including four with the Yankees. He struck out in his four other at-bats. Eovaldi, who allowed three runs and five hits in five innings, didn’t give up his second home run last year until June 4.

START ME UP

Story played his first big league game at second base after 733 at shortstop and went 0 for 5 at the plate in his Red Sox debut.

“It’s intense and that’s fun,” Story sad. “That’s the kind of atmosphere you want to play in. Every pitch counts and that’s the way we’re taking it.”

HIZZONER

New New York City Mayor Eric Adams played catch with Yankees right-hander Luis Severino before the game.

MEMORIES

Boston is wearing black patches on its right sleeves with a white No. 2 in memory of Jerry Remy, whose last name is in red. The former player and broadcaster died Oct. 30 at age 68.

SIGNALLING

Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka moved the new Pitch Com signaling device from a wrist to a shinguard.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Bogaerts on his hamstring: “Hopefully I come back tomorrow and I feel good and get ready to go.” … RHP Matt Barnes was not available because of back tightness.

Yankees: Rizzo was hit on the right hand by a fastball from Eovaldi in the fifth inning that tailed in. He stayed in the game.

UP NEXT

Severino and Boston RHP Nick Pivetta are to start Saturday.

TIGERS 5, WHITE SOX 4

DETROIT — Javier Báez wound up with a winning RBI single on a game-ending replay reversal in his Detroit debut.

With two out and a runner on third in the ninth inning, Báez hit a drive to right off Liam Hendriks that sent AJ Pollock back to the wall. Pollock appeared to make a juggling catch, but the ball struck the wall before going off the outfielder’s glove.

The new-look Tigers started celebrating as they realized what happened, and the opening-day crowd joined in after umpire Marvin Hudson announced the reversal of the call.

Eric Haase hit a solo homer off Hendriks (0-1) earlier in the ninth.

Chicago’s Andrew Vaughn hit a tiebreaking solo homer off Gregory Soto (1-0) in the top of the ninth.

RAYS 2, ORIOLES 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Budding star Wander Franco had three hits, Francisco Mejía snapped an eighth-inning tie with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly and AL East champion Tampa Bay beat Baltimore.

Franco started the winning rally with a single to right off reliever Dillon Tate (0-1). It was the 21-year-old’s first game since signing a $182 million, 11-year contract in the offseason. He batted .288 with seven homers and 39 RBIs in 70 games as a rookie.

Pinch hitter Ji-Man Choi drew a walk and reigning AL Rookie of the Year Randy Arozarena beat out an infield single to load the bases against right-hander Jorge Lopez. After Brandon Lowe hit into a force play at the plate that took Franco off the bases, Mejía lifted his sacrifice fly to left field.

Andrew Kittredge (1-0), the fifth of seven Tampa Bay pitchers, worked one inning. Lowe drove in the Rays’ other run with a third-inning sacrifice fly, and offseason addition Brooks Raley got the final out in the ninth for the save.

PHILLIES 9, ATHLETICS 5

PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Schwarber homered in his first at-bat with Philadelphia, reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper knocked in a run and Aaron Nola struck out seven against Oakland.

Schwarber’s first opening day in Philadelphia was one to remember for the 29-year-old slugger. Fresh off the $79 million, four-year contract he signed last month, Schwarber crushed a 427-foot homer to right off A’s starter Frankie Montas (0-1).

Schwarber’s one-out walk in the third inning ignited a four-run burst. Harper stretched a single into a double when a replay review showed he slid under the tag of second baseman Tony Kemp, then scored on Rhys Hoskins’two-run single. Didi Gregorius’ single up the middle made it 5-0.

Nola (1-0), the 2018 All-Star who went 9-9 with a 4.63 ERA last season, made his fifth straight opening day start. Chad Pinder hit a solo homer in the fourth. Seth Brown’s three-run shot in the seventh chased Nola. The A’s made it 6-5 but Brad Hand struck out Jed Lowrie looking with runners on second and third to end the seventh.

DODGERS 5, ROCKIES 3

DENVER — Freddie Freeman reached base three times and scored a run in his Los Angeles debut, helping Walker Buehler (1-0) and the Dodgers beat Colorado.

Freeman struck out in his first at-bat. He was then hit by a pitch, walked and lined a sharp single before taking a called third strike in the eighth.

Colorado’s big offseason acquisition, Kris Bryant, had a double and a walk but struck out against Craig Kimbrel with a runner on to end the game. Kimbrel got his first save in Dodger Blue.

Buehler (1-0) pretty much picked up right where he left off in 2021, getting the win in allowing two runs and four hits in five innings while striking out five. Denver native Kyle Freeland (0-1) started out strong before things went sideways in the fourth.

GIANTS 6, MARLINS 5, 10 innings

SAN FRANCISCO — Austin Slater doubled with two outs in the 10th inning for his first career walkoff RBI, sending San Francisco past Miami.

Thairo Estrada hit a tying home run to start the bottom of the ninth off Anthony Bender. Then Slater came through against Anthony Bass (0-1), scoring Darin Ruf. It marked San Francisco’s first walkoff win on opening day since beating the Padres on April 6, 1987, at Candlestick Park.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. put Miami ahead with a two-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth as the Marlins capitalized against San Francisco’s bullpen once Logan Webb left the game.

Jacob Stallings homered in the eighth and delivered an RBI single in the ninth off closer Camilo Doval to fuel Miami’s rally. José Álvarez (1-0) recorded the final out of the 10th.

MARINERS 2, TWINS 1

MINNEAPOLIS — Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray tossed seven impressive innings in his Seattle debut, Mitch Haniger homered and the Mariners opened with a win over Minnesota.

Ray (1-0) surrendered just three hits, walked four and struck out five. He made the opening day start after leaving Toronto and signing a five-year, $115 million contract with Seattle.

Drew Steckenrider allowed a leadoff hit in the ninth but secured the save after Gary Sánchez hit a towering flyball to the left-field wall.

Haniger is the longest-tenured Mariners player, having started with them in 2017. He connected for a two-run homer in the first inning off rookie Joe Ryan (0-1).

BLUE JAYS 10, RANGERS 8

TORONTO — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays erased a seven-run deficit and completed the biggest opening day comeback in seven decades to beat the Texas Rangers 10-8 Friday night.

A capacity crowd of 45,022 packed in to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the upstart Jays for the first time since before the pandemic. They erupted when a video review ruled Teoscar Hernández beat catcher Mitch Garver’s tag at the plate on Gurriel’s double, putting Toronto ahead 9-8 after trailing 7-0.

The last team to win its first game after trailing by at least seven runs was the 1950 New York Yankees, who trailed 9-0 then beat Boston 15-10 at Fenway Park, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

The only other team to overcome a seven-run deficit in its season-opening game was the 1901 Detroit Tigers, who erased a 10-run gap to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 14-13.

Blue Jays right-hander Adam Cimber (1-0) pitched one inning for the win despite allowing Adolis García’s tying home run in the seventh. Yimi Garcia worked the eighth and Jordan Romano finished for his first save.

Gurriel’s winning hit came off Rangers right-hander Dennis Santana (0-1), who allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings.