Marcelo Mayer, Willson Contreras homer, Red Sox snap 5-game losing streak with 5-2 win over Padres

By: Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press Posted: 3:53 PM CDT Friday, Apr. 3, 2026

BOSTON (AP) — Marcelo Mayer and Willson Contreras both hit home runs as part of a three-run sixth inning and the Boston Red Sox snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 win in their home opener over the San Diego Padres on Friday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/04/2026 (187 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Caleb Durbin added an RBI single in the fourth inning to end an 0-for-19 start to the season as Boston stopped its first 1-5 start since 2019. Durbin’s line drive to center field ended an overall hitless streak of 34 plate appearances, that dated back to Sept. 22, 2025, when he was still with Milwaukee.

Boston’s Sonny Gray (1-0) picked up the victory, pitching six innings and allowing two runs off four hits. Aroldis Chapman walked one in the ninth, but got his second save.

Boston Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer, right, celebrates with Wilyer Abreu (52) after his two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning of the home-opener baseball game at Fenway Park, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Contreras’ 423-foot blast off Padres’ starter Michael King (0-1) — his first since being traded by St. Louis in the offseason — went over the Green Monster to break a 2-2 tie. Later, with two outs, Mayer dropped his first homer of the season off reliever Wandy Peralta that went just over the wall in right field and into the bullpen.

King lasted 5 2/3 inning, yielding four runs off seven hits and struck out five.

Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, San Diego used a triple by Miguel Andujar, RBI single by Gavin Sheets and RBI double by Luis Campusano to tie the game.

Ceddanne Rafaela put the Red Sox on the scoreboard in the third inning, lining a single off the Green Monster that scored Mayer.

Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts went 0-for-3 in his game at Fenway against his former team for the first time since he left Boston to join San Diego in 2022.

He was injured during the Padres’ visit in 2024 but was given a standing ovation from fans to celebrate the two World Series he helped the franchise in over his 10 seasons with the Red Sox. He received another warm welcome on Friday.

Up next

The Padres and RHP Randy Vásquez (1-0, 0.00 ERA) face the Red Sox and LHP Connelly Early (0-0, 1.69) on Saturday afternoon.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb