BOSTON — Curtis Granderson is fitting in just fine with the World Series champions.

Three games. Two homers. One solo shot in the 10th inning Wednesday night.

Additional Photos

As Curtis Granderson of the Yankees rounds first base, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon watches the ball head toward the right-field stands. And that’s where the ball ended up, a solo home run by Granderson that broke a 1-1 tie in the 10th and helped New York to a 3-1 victory. The Associated Press

The Yankees’ new center fielder hit a one-strike pitch into the right-field seats off Jonathan Papelbon and New York beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Wednesday night.

“I never go into a situation trying to hit home runs because I still don’t consider myself a home run hitter,” Granderson said, “but sometimes you look up and you’re able to drive the ball out of the ballpark.”

Granderson hit 30 homers last year for Detroit, which traded him to New York. He was moving to a team that lost World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon to free agency.

“There’s always so many expectations and people want to compare you to the people that left,” Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said. “So far he’s reacted really well, and that can’t be said about everyone who comes to New York.”

Granderson said he just wants to be “a piece of the puzzle,” but shortstop Derek Jeter said it can be important for newcomers to play well early in their careers with the Yankees.

“If someone scuffles a little bit, people start asking a lot of questions,” Jeter said. “Us, as players, we realize you’re going to have ups and downs throughout the course of the year. So we really don’t pay much attention to it, but I’m sure if you’re answering questions about it all the time, it probably gets annoying.”

Granderson homered in the first game of the season but made the final out in Boston’s 9-7 win on Sunday night. He scored a run Tuesday night when New York won, 6-4. He has two homers against Papelbon in his career, the only player with more than one.

“I felt really good tonight,” Papelbon said. “It’s a classic situation where you make one mistake and you pay for it. … It seems like I’ve made a few mistakes to Granderson.”

Papelbon (0-1) struck out the next batter but after three walks, Mark Teixeira drove in the final run against Scott Atchison on a groundout as the Red Sox wasted an outstanding performance by John Lackey in his first appearance since signing an $82.5 million, five-year contract as a free agent in December.

He allowed three hits in six innings and left with a 1-0 lead.

“I was able to make a couple of big pitches in tough spots,” Lackey said. “I had a lot of things on my mind today. With added pressure and being here, I wanted to make a good impression.”

Yankees starter Andy Pettitte allowed one run in six innings. Then Chan Ho Park (1-1) allowed one hit in three scoreless innings and Mariano Rivera pitched the 10th for his second save.

Pettitte was knocked down trying to tag Jacoby Ellsbury after taking a throw at first base on the first at-bat of the game. Ellsbury was safe.

“I got a little whiplash or something in my neck,” Pettitte said. “I was in survival mode there for the first couple of innings, that’s for sure, but after that I felt like I settled in pretty good.”

The Yankees set a record for the modern era with their 17th straight win in regular-season games that were tied after seven innings.

They equaled the 1906 New York Giants at 16 on Tuesday night.

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