Yankees crash Fenway party with win over Red Sox

By Larry Fine

BOSTON (Reuters) - The New York Yankees spoiled a day of feel-good nostalgia at Fenway Park on Friday by blasting five home runs in a 6-2 win over the Red Sox on the 100th anniversary of the first game played at the ballpark.

Back-up third baseman Eric Chavez belted his first two home runs of the young season while Alex Rodriguez, in the lineup as designated hitter, Nick Swisher and Russell Martin also added solo shots to back the pitching of Ivan Nova.

Nova improved to 3-0 as he won his 15th successive regular season decision dating back to last year. Boston starter Clay Buchholz surrendered all of New York's runs in dropping to 1-1 and the Red Sox suffered their fourth consecutive loss.

The warm, sunny day began with good vibes as over 200 former Red Sox players gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of the quirky stadium widely known for its towering Green Monster wall in left field.

But the Yankees proved to be party poopers.

Wearing gray throwback uniforms without numbers on the back while the Red Sox wore plain home whites, the Yankees resembled the Bronx Bombers of another era as they swatted three shots over the Monster, one to center and another to right.

Boston won the inaugural April 20, 1912 game at Fenway Park, baseball's oldest stadium, 7-6 in 11 innings against the New York Highlanders, who changed their name to the Yankees the next season.

The win improved the Yankees to 8-6 and dropped the Red Sox to 4-9.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in Boston; Editing by Frank Pingue)