Beckett recovers to guide Red Sox past Blue Jays

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Josh Beckett overcame a shaky start to deliver seven solid innings and David Ortiz homered to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in their American League home opener on Tuesday.

Playing in front of sold-out crowd at Fenway Park, Beckett (2-0) struggled in the first inning walking three batters, including Lyle Overbay, to hand Toronto a 1-0 lead.

However, the big right-hander quickly settled down, allowing just three hits over seven solid innings of work to help the surging Red Sox to their fifth straight win.

"I was mad at myself," Beckett, who was acquired in the off-season from the Florida Marlins, told MLB.com.

"Some of the guys probably get frustrated with me because I'll have a 1-2-3 inning and two of them will be line outs and I'm (perturbed).

"It's a tough thing probably for them to deal with, but I just expect a lot out of myself and sometimes I'm my own worst enemy."

Mike Lowell, another former Marlin, also had big home debut in Boston uniform going four-for-four with three doubles and an

RBI.

Kevin Youkilis also had a pair of hits, including a double, while Ortiz celebrated his new four-year contract extension with his second homer of the season, a seventh inning solo shot to right field.

Frank Catalanotto had a two-run eighth inning homer off Boston closer Keith Foulke for the Blue Jays.

Trailing 1-0, the Red Sox answered with a four-run burst in the second, Lowell, Youkilis each doubling in a run and Adam Stern bringing across two more with an RBI double.

"It's (only) been one week, but we're trying to play winning baseball," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

"That's all you ever ask.

"We're doing some little things, we're doing some big things.

"I think the consistent effort has been there every day, that's great, because we think we have a good team."

In Cleveland, Jhonny Peralta and Travis Hafner hit back-to-back fifth inning home runs as the Indians powered past the Seattle Mariners 9-5 to record their sixth straight win.

Cliff Lee (1-0) provided the Tribe with six solid innings on the hill yielding two runs on four hits with eight strike outs.

Leading 3-0, the Indians put the game out of reach in the with a three run burst in the fifth, Peralta connecting on a two-run homer and Hafner adding a solo shot to nose Cleveland in 6-0.

Victor Martinez was three-for-three at the plate, contributing a pair of RBIs to Cleveland's total.

Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn (1-1) took the loss, surrendering six runs on nine hits in six innings as the Mariners slumped to their fourth straight defeat.

In Minneapolis, Tony Batista pounded a three-run home run to key a six-run third inning as Minnesota Twins trimmed the Oakland Athletics 7-6 in their home opener.

Justin Morneau also homered and Joe Mauer contributed a pair of RBI as the Twins snapped a four-game losing streak.