Boston ? After throwing 36 pitches and walking home a run in his first inning at Fenway Park, Josh Beckett was looking at a short outing and a short honeymoon with the Boston fans.

“It’s not exactly the first impression you want to make,” he said Tuesday.

But Beckett settled down in Boston’s home opener and held Toronto to three hits over seven innings, combining with fellow Florida castoff Mike Lowell to beat the Blue Jays, 5-3, and give the Red Sox their fifth consecutive victory.

“He wanted to destroy the dugout after that first inning,” said Lowell, who went 4-for-4 with three doubles. “But the way he threw, to be down one run after that inning, I’d take that.”

Boston took advantage of the Marlins’ latest salary purge to acquire Beckett in the offseason. But the Red Sox also had to take Lowell and his $9 million salary and hope that he bounced back from the worst season of his career.

For one game, Lowell was far more than a throw-in.

“Any time you’re in a new situation, a new team, I think it’s only natural” to want to make a good impression, he said.

Does he think he did?

Boston's Josh Beckett delivers against Toronto. Beckett allowed one run in seven innings as the Red Sox defeated the Blue Jays, 5-3, Tuesday in Boston.

“I hope so,” he said with a laugh. “If I need to go more than 4-for-4, I’m in trouble.”

A year after an epic ceremony to celebrate their first World Series title in 86 years, the Red Sox held a more downscale event. In addition to the usual fighter jet flyover and ceremonial first pitch, the team asked for a moment of silence in memory of longtime broadcaster Curt Gowdy.

Fenway was sold out, as it had been for the previous 226 games.

“Coming from Florida, opening day is sometimes the only day you have like that,” Beckett said.

The fiery right-hander allowed one run in his Red Sox debut last week to win at Texas and start Boston’s winning streak. His Fenway premiere started poorly but turned out just as good.

Beckett (2-0) walked three in the first inning – along with Vernon Wells’ single to left – before falling behind Shea Hillenbrand 3-1 with the bases still loaded. Hillenbrand moved toward first on a pitch that was called strike two, irking Beckett, then hit into a double play to end the inning.

Twins 7, Athletics 6

Minneapolis – Tony Batista woke up the offense with a three-run homer, and Minnesota won its home opener. Eric Chavez hit a two-run shot, his second homer of the game and fifth of the year, in the eighth inning against Jesse Crain to pull Oakland within one. Joe Nathan pitched a hitless ninth for his first save.

Bobby Crosby also homered for the A’s, who saw their run of strong starting pitching end with a bad night for Dan Haren (1-1).

Orioles 8, Devil Rays 4

St. Petersburg, Fla. – Kris Benson took a four-hitter into the eighth inning for his first win with Baltimore, and Melvin Mora homered. Benson (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits in seven-plus innings. He departed after allowing Joey Gathright’s leadoff single in the eighth.

Indians 9, Mariners 5

Cleveland – Jhonny Peralta and Travis Hafner hit consecutive homers in the fifth inning to back Cliff Lee, and Cleveland won its sixth straight. At 6-1, the Indians are off to their best start since opening 11-1 in 2002. It’s also the first time they’ve been in first place in the AL Central since April 18, 2002, a season they finished 74-88.