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Blue Jays designated hitter Frank Thomas drove in the winning runs in a 6-3 win over the Red Sox on Friday. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)
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TORONTO — They donned their old powder-blue uniforms to help commemorate their home opener and paid tribute to a couple of former employees during a lavish pregame ceremony.
And after dispensing with all the nostalgia at a festive — not to mention combative — Rogers Centre, the Toronto Blue Jays got down to the serious business at hand, which was the Boston Red Sox.
In a lively and entertaining affair, the Blue Jays rode a solid effort from starting pitcher Shaun Marcum to earn a 6-3 victory over their American League East rival before a soldout gathering of 50,171.
And who says Toronto fans are staid.
A brawl, featuring at least two separate fights and plenty of haymakers, broke out in the upper level of the stadium behind first base just prior to the start of the eighth inning.
And with two outs in the ninth inning, a shirtless man and a young woman, who was clad in just a bra and grey slacks, ran onto the field next to the Red Sox's dugout.
The man was tackled by security in centre field, placed in handcuffs and led off the field. The woman was also escorted away, but not before a courteous Rogers Centre employee gave her his jacket to cover up.
"Hockey night," Jays manager John Gibbons said.
"It was kind of fun seeing everybody out there running around like a little Smurf," Marcum added.
Back on the field, the Jays were busy roughing up the defending World Series champions, scoring twice in the seventh inning on a two-run double by Frank Thomas that moved Toronto in front 5-3.
The Jays added another run in the eighth when David Eckstein singled home Aaron Hill from second base.
It was more than enough support for Marcum, who for the most part was brilliant in his first start of the season, giving up three Boston runs off just three hits, while striking out eight through seven innings.
Jeremy Accardo came into the game in the ninth inning to collect the save, his second of the season.
"In four games, look at the way we've pitched," Gibbons said. "We've been solid in all aspects of it."
During the pregame festivities, the Blue Jays honoured former star second baseman Roberto Alomar and Paul Beeston, the team's former president and the first franchise employee. They had their names added to the Level of Excellence.
The Jays began the regular season on the road in New York and played well despite losing two of three to the Yankees.
Clay Buchholz, who threw a no-hitter for Boston as a rookie last season, pitches against Jesse Litsch today when the series resumes.
The series finale tomorrow will feature a dandy pitching duel between Roy Halladay of the Jays and Boston ace Josh Beckett.
Boston started knuckleball Tim Wakefield last night and he had the ball dancing early, surrendering just two singles during the first five innings.
Marcum, in his first start, was even more impressive, allowing just one hit, a double by Kevin Cash in the third inning, through six while piling up six strikeouts.
Matt Stairs brought the Rogers Centre to life in the Jays' half of the sixth inning, walloping a 1-0 Wakefield pitch over the right field fence to give the Jays a 1-0 lead.
Wakefield's miseries continued when he issued walks to Alex Rios and Thomas, sandwiched around a strikeout of Vernon Wells.
Lyle Overbay then lifted a high fly ball to shallow left-centre that neither Manny Ramirez nor Jacoby Ellsbury could track down.
The ball fell in and Rios scampered all the way home from second base to make the score 2-0.
Aaron Hill made it 3-0 when he hit a deep fly ball that Ellsbury caught on the run at the warning track. But the ball slipped out of the pocket when Ellsbury hit his glove against the wall.
Hill's long single scored Thomas from third base in the process.
Boston stormed back in the seventh with J.D. Drew tagging Marcum for a three-run home run to right field on a 2-2 pitch that knotted proceedings at 3-3.
With Wakefield out of the game after six innings, the Jays went to work in the seventh and reclaimed a 5-3 lead when Thomas stroked his big double all the way to the wall in left-centre, scoring Eckstein and Shannon Stewart.
For Thomas, the hit snapped an 0-for-11 hitless skid.
"That was great, man," Thomas said about the raucous atmosphere at the game. "It was like a playoff game tonight. I couldn't believe the crowd. We want to put some fire in this locker room. This year this team I'd say is a lot more together."
