The 24-year-old outfield prospect from Loganville, Ga., had to travel all the way to the Far East to club his first Major League homer. However, the timing was nothing short of perfect and the hit was the definition of clutch.

In fact, it was downright storybook stuff. Brandon Moss -- who wound up propelling the Red Sox to a 6-5 victory over the A's on Tuesday -- wasn't even supposed to play on Opening Day. But when J.D. Drew came down with lower back tightness in the hours leading up to the game, Red Sox manager Terry Francona turned to Moss.

The kid responded in the ninth inning, bashing a 2-2 pitch from Athletics closer Huston Street over the right-field wall to tie the game at 4. And Manny Ramirez, who has had countless big hits in his impressive career, added another, lacing a two-out, two-run double to right-center in the top of the 10th to put the Sox in front for good.

Ramirez had also been heard from earlier in the game, slamming a two-run double to left in the sixth that tied the game at 2. Moss also came up big in that sixth, roping a two-out RBI single against Oakland starter Joe Blanton that gave the Sox their first lead of the night.

But that bit of hitting heroics was offset when Oakland's Jack Hannahan belted a two-run homer to right against Kyle Snyder with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth.

Former Sox relievers Alan Embree and Keith Foulke held that slight 4-3 lead for Oakland and presented the save opportunity for Street, but Moss ruined that bid.