Betts, Ortiz Homer as Red Sox Rout Nats In Home Opener

Mookie Betts hit a three-run homer, took a two-run shot away from Bryce Harper with a flashy catch and stole two bases on the same pitch, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 9-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday in their home opener.

Rick Porcello (1-1) made his Fenway debut one week after signing an $82.5 million, four-year contract, allowing four hits in eight innings. Two of the hits were solo homers by Ryan Zimmerman and Danny Espinosa.

The Red Sox rolled to an 8-0 lead after three innings against Jordan Zimmermann (1-1). The Nationals' right-hander was as wild to start the game as Tom Brady, whose ceremonial first pitch to David Ortiz bounced in the dirt in the left-hander's batters' box.

Ortiz capped the scoring for Boston with a solo homer in the sixth.  (Associated Press)