BOSTON -- Willson Contreras was brought to the Red Sox for his energy, his grit, his defense and ... oh yeah, his pull-side power.
Playing his first home game at Fenway Park, Contreras unleashed a towering 423-foot solo homer to left-center that soared over the Green Monster and wound up on Lansdowne Street.
It was the go-ahead run for the Red Sox in a much-needed 5-2 victory over the Padres in Friday’s home opener.
The timely blast came off starter Michael King, snapping a 2-2 tie with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Marcelo Mayer added a two-run homer into the visitors' bullpen later in the frame.
Contreras belted King’s 93.4 mph heater at an exit velocity of 108.7 mph.
The two home runs helped make a winner out of Sonny Gray in his first Fenway start with Boston. Gray, the 36-year-old veteran, allowed two runs over six innings.
Like nearly every Red Sox hitter not named Wilyer Abreu, Contreras struggled (3-for-20) during a rough first road trip of the season through Cincinnati and Houston.
Contreras was acquired from the Cardinals in a four-player trade on Dec. 22.