Red Sox slugger David Ortiz gives the fans a glimpse of the World Series trophy as the Sox return to Fenway Park yesterday afternoon — one day after the team won its second title in four years.

The Providence Journal / Bill Murphy

BOSTON — Maggie Mendez made it from Fall River to Fenway, with five minutes to spare.

She sat atop her husband Jose’s shoulders to get a better vantage point. But a fence, dozens of television cameras, metal barricades and now — of all indignities — a line of idling equipment trucks separated Mendez from what she came to see: her team, the Red Sox, home again in Boston yesterday with baseball’s ultimate trophy.

“C’mon!” Mendez screamed, spotting hometown hero, pitcher Manny Delcarmen in the bowels of Fenway Park. “Move your truck!”

Mendez adjusted to keep Sox manager Terry Francona, Game Four starting pitcher Jon Lester and veteran pitcher Curt Shilling — loading his duffel bags into the back of his family’s minivan — in her line of vision, blowing on her hands to keep them warm.

“This is excellent,” she said, adding, almost in disbelief: “They won.”

Mendez and about 1,000 other members of Red Sox Nation lined Yawkey Way for hours in this autumn’s first serious chill. Dressed in their finest team gear, some also clutched Papelbon and Ortiz jerseys. They let loose a few half-hearted versions of the team’s adopted theme song, “Sweet Caroline,” plus a couple of rounds of “Let’s Go Sox!” They batted about inflatable beach balls and plastic sharks. A college-aged girl raised a sign: “We’re failing class for the Red Sox!”

Mostly, though, they waited, shivering.

There were a few distractions to keep the expectant fans occupied. Like the hoisting of the World Series Champions pennant on the side of the stadium. And the arrival of NESN broadcaster Jerry “Rem Dawg” Remy, a Somerset native, former Sox second baseman and current president of Red Sox Nation.

Greg Martakos watched Sunday night’s game during his overnight shift with the Hooksett, N.H., police department. The Salem, N.H., resident ended his shift at 8:30 a.m. and drove straight to Fenway, with his Red Sox programs at the ready in case he got close to a player.

Martakos had tickets for Game Six, if the series came to that. Martakos admitted that he’s “greedy” and wishes he would have had a chance to watch a game at Fenway. But the Sox four-game sweep, he said, “is just as great.”

Kevin Brown and his grandson, Jason, of Brockton, Mass., were back at Fenway yesterday afternoon after celebrating near the park after Sunday’s game. Brown said revelers dented the roof of his Ford truck, which is decorated bumper to bumper with Red Sox and New England Patriots stickers, which, he noted, are there year-round because “I’m not just on the bandwagon.”

Brown brought along a colorful, four-foot sign he said he had worked on for two weeks, back in 2004, to encourage the team he knew would go all the way. “We believe,” reads the sign that features two baseball bats and a royal-blue cap. “Keep the faith.”

“This year’s win is not as big,” Brown admitted. “It would have been great if they won it here. But it was great to sweep.”

Ten-year-old Jason Brown peeked above the placard, soon a crowd favorite. Ortiz is the boy’s favorite player, for one simple reason: “He hits a lot of home runs.”

At 5 on the dot, with four helicopters circling ahead, fans spotted the first charter bus rounding the corner onto Van Ness Street. One woman screeched so loudly her face strained and her right fist clenched. The bus driver himself raised his arms in victory as he braked at the corner of Yawkey Way.

Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner displayed the glittering World Series trophy for the exuberant fans, stopping for photographs as they grinned widely.

“Don’t sign A-Rod!” the fans chanted, leaving no mystery as to whether these fans want Red Sox ownership to sign Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, who is now a free agent.

The crowd reserved its loudest applause for Big Papi — David Ortiz — who took the trophy from his bosses, smiling with his eyes obscured by dark Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses. (He later drove off in his gleaming Cadillac Escalade.)

Fans parted to let Mike Timlin, with his daughter, Mykala, on his shoulders, walk through.

In the end, the homecoming was jubilant but laid-back, almost as if the buzz from the second Sox sweep in four years had worn off overnight. Or maybe fans are just resting up for today’s noontime rally.

Many of the fan favorites — Manny Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia, World Series MVP Mike Lowell, dance-crazed closer Jonathan Pabelbon — were nowhere to be seen. Most players, such as dazzling rookie Jacoby Ellsbury, Japanese phenom Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kevin “Yooouk” Youkilis were spotted only as they drove off from Fenway.

“Hey,Varitek! Good job!” hollered Gabe Martins, of Dartmouth, Mass. Catcher Jason Varitek, looking exhausted, didn’t acknowledge the shouts.

Martins said he’s been a Sox fan for 30 years, and he made it to Fenway at 10 a.m. to prepare for the team’s arrival.

“O-Four was special,” he said. “We had waited 86 years. I was here. This is not exciting as much. I just knew we would win. And the fact that it’s not the Yankees is so gratifying.”

Martins’ moment with his Red Sox was fleeting. But he didn’t seem to care. He was in it for the long haul.

“I’ll stay out here until I get sick,” he said.

mwims@projo.com