Ryan Kalish belted his first major-league home run, a two-run shot in the sixth inning to back winning pitcher Clay Buchholz as the Boston Red Sox took the first game of a crucial four-game series 6-3 at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

Buchholz (11-5) allowed nine hits and three runs in 7 1/3 innings to pick up the victory. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 27th save.

David Ortiz opened the scoring with a solo homer in the top of the first inning to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. The Yankees came right back with a two-run homer from Mark Teixeira in the bottom of the first.

Boston took a 4-2 lead in the second inning as Yankees starter Javier Vazquez walked three batters in the inning and catcher Francisco Cervelli dropped a pop up for an error.

Jacoby Ellsbury's bases-loaded walk scored one run and Marco Scutaro followed with a two-out, two-run double.

Vazquez (9-8) took the loss allowing six runs, three earned, on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.