Tokyo - Major League Baseball (MLB) opened its 2008 season Tuesday in the Tokyo Dome, with World Series champions Boston Red Sox downing the Oakland Athletics in a come-from-behind thriller, 6-5, in extra innings. The Red Sox heroes were Brandon Moss and Manny Ramirez, along with Japanese pitcher Hideki Okajima who got the victory in relief in a see-saw battle which saw the lead change hands several times before a sellout crowd of over 55,000 in Tokyo Dome.
Moss hit a solo home run in Boston's ninth inning to tie the score at 4-4 and send the game into extra innings. Ramirez then hit a two- round double in the 10th inning to give Boston a 6-4 lead.
Oakland got a run in the bottom of the 10th, but Boston held on to secure the 6-5 victory.
The game was a special occasion for the Japanese baseball fans who got a chance to see superstar pitcher Daisuke Mats
