Ramirez propels Red Sox in opener

? Daisuke Matsuzaka got the Tokyo Dome fans revved up, and Manny Ramirez struck the winning pose.

In the earliest major-league opener, the Boston Red Sox got off to a winning start in their World Series title defense.

Ramirez hit his second two-run double in the 10th inning – admiring his drive from the batter’s box, thinking it was a three-run homer – and Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics, 6-5, on Tuesday night.

“Ultimately, it was a great ballgame,” Matsuzaka said through a translator. “I hope people got a chance to enjoy it live.”

A crowd of 44,628, including fans from Boston, cheered at the Tokyo Dome.