BOSTON (Interstat) — Marcelo Mayer and Willson Contreras launched back-to-back home runs in a decisive three-run sixth inning, powering the Boston Red Sox to a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres in their Fenway Park opener on Friday afternoon.

The win before a sellout crowd of 36,233 snapped a five-game losing skid for the Red Sox, who improved to 2-5, matching the Padres’ record. The game, which lasted 2 hours and 19 minutes, defied pregame projections that favored San Diego.

After a sluggish start to the season, Boston’s offense awakened at a critical juncture. Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Red Sox tied the game on an RBI single from Caleb Durbin, a line drive to center that also ended his personal 0-for-19 drought to start the year and a hitless streak spanning 34 plate appearances dating to September 2025.

The game turned dramatically in the sixth. With the score still knotted at 2-2, Padres starter Michael King retired Jarren Duran to begin the frame. Willson Contreras then stepped in and crushed King’s first pitch of the at-bat deep over the wall in center field for a solo homer, giving Boston its first lead at 3-2.

After Wilyer Abreu singled and Caleb Durbin struck out, the stage was set for Marcelo Mayer. The highly-touted second baseman, who had earlier doubled and scored Boston’s first run in the third inning, connected on a 1-1 offering from King, driving it out to right-center field for a two-run blast. The homer, which also scored Abreu, extended the lead to 5-2 and sent the Fenway faithful into a frenzy.

That outburst provided more than enough support for Red Sox starter Sonny Gray, who earned his first win of the season. Gray worked six solid innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three. He navigated trouble only in the fifth, when the Padres scratched across both of their runs. Miguel Andujar led off with a triple and scored on a sharp RBI single by Gavin Sheets. Sheets later came home on a two-out double by Luis Campusano.

From there, Gray and the Boston bullpen slammed the door. Gray retired the side in order in the sixth to finish his outing. Justin Slaten and Greg Weissert each contributed a perfect inning of relief in the seventh and eighth, respectively.

In the ninth, veteran closer Aroldis Chapman worked around a two-out walk to Manny Machado, inducing a flyout from Ramón Laureano to secure his second save of the season.

Michael King took the loss for San Diego, falling to 0-1. He was charged with four runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out five. The Padres’ offense, which mustered just four hits total, was held silent after their fifth-inning rally, managing only a walk over the final four frames.

The most important sequence of the game was undoubtedly the back-to-back home runs by Contreras and Mayer in the bottom of the sixth inning. That two-play, three-run outburst transformed a tense, tied game into a comfortable lead, capitalizing on King’s final pitches and shifting all momentum permanently to the home side. It provided the decisive margin and underscored the offensive potential of Boston’s young core.

Defensively, Boston’s infield was sharp, with third baseman Caleb Durbin involved in five putouts.

The Red Sox and Padres continue their three-game series at Fenway Park on Saturday afternoon.