Red Sox rookie on Yankees fans’ booing 1st MLB HR: ‘Music to your ears’

NEW YORK Getting booed by Yankees fans is a unique rite of passage for new Red Sox players It tells them they re on the right track making Boston s eternal rivals unhappy On Friday night it was Marcelo Mayer s turn The Yankees already had a - lead by the second inning and would go on to win - but that late six-run Red Sox rally bid was ignited by their long-awaited top prospect in his first career contest against the Yankees got his band on the board with his first-ever big-league home run I felt really good in my first at-bat and then I got something good to hit in my second at-bat Mayer revealed as he stood in the visitors clubhouse postgame A modest assessment of an at-bat which culminated in a -foot blast to right-center which left his bat at mph A player only gets one career home run No and while Mayer was able to get the ball back from the fan in exchange for a signed bat and another ball the round-tripper itself was bittersweet It was a good feeling he mentioned obviously it kind of sucks when you know you re losing But yeah I mean it s definitely a moment I ll remember for the rest of my life Though he grew up on the other side of the country the San Diego native has been in the Red Sox organization since they selected him fourth overall in the draft He s well-versed in the storied rivalry with the Yankees and was eager to join the fray before the challenge he reported the Herald he d been waiting for Friday night for a long time I think every single athlete or baseball participant dreams about being in this rivalry so to be in it you know it s a really good feeling he announced postgame Obviously like I commented getting a W would ve been better but we bounce back in the next 24 hours So if a Red Sox rookie isn t going to hit his first career homer in front of the Fenway Faithful doing it to Yankees fans in their own house is the next best thing right Yeah -percent Mayer reported with a smile If not here then Petco Park in San Diego you know That s where I m from And as a Red Sox member is there anything more affirming that your career is off to a good start than getting booed by the home crowd in your first-ever competition at Yankee Stadium It s like music to your ears Mayer explained Honestly I didn t really here it just cause like I m so focused on the competition but yeah that s pretty cool