BOSTON — Kevin Youkilis scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball after his third extra-base hit and the Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the New York Yankees 9-7 in the major league opener tonight.

Boston erased a 5-1 deficit against CC Sabathia and defeated the defending World Series champions in the first night opener in the history of 98-year-old Fenway Park.

Jorge Posada and Curtis Granderson hit back-to-back homers off Josh Beckett to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the second inning. It was 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh when Marco Scutaro singled and Dustin Pedroia tied it with an opening-day homer for the second straight season.

Youkilis doubled with two outs, took third on Damaso Marte's wild pitch and scored when Posada couldn't handle Marte's high pitch.