"I never realized until I came here just how special it is," manager Terry Francona said. "When we play here, we expect to win."

01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, May 25, 2004

BY PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- In baseball, having a home-and-home series can carry a different meaning than in other sports. The Red Sox know. They are getting to experience the best kind of home-and-home this week.

The Sox return to work tonight, after a day off, when they begin a three-game series against Oakland at 7:05. They have every reason to be in good spirits.

Not only do they come off a sweep of Toronto, they do not need to do any traveling to get to the game, other than jumping in the car.

There will be only three times this season (a fourth was lost because of a rainout with Baltimore) when the Sox will get to enjoy a day off in the middle of a homestand. Yesterday was the second.

It meant no late-night flight returning home. No packing or unpacking. It was a chance to enjoy home and family.

Tonight, the Sox go back to work in their second home. Fenway is probably a lot noiser than the players' homes -- except maybe at the Wakefields, where a new baby is making sleeping difficult -- but it is a special place for the Sox. Terry Francona is 20 Fenway games into his career as Red Sox manager, and he already has learned how different it is.

"I never realized until I came here just how special it is," Francona said over the weekend. "When we play here, we expect to win."

And they usually do. The Sox are 14-6 this year in Fenway. In the last two seasons, they are 67-34. Only tonight's opponent, Oakland, has a better home record in that time -- 68-33.

The Sox have had 84 straight sellouts, and seem all but certain to sell out the entire season. Even with the most expensive ticket prices in the game, going to Fenway is more in vogue than ever.

And it's not just going to the game. It is adding to the atmosphere while they are there. The peer pressure among the fans is to arrive on time, stay to the finish and get into the game. Really get into the game. The intensity in the stands is higher than it has ever been.

Mark Bellhorn, the second baseman who came here from the Cubs, has spoken about it. Wrigley Field can get every bit as wild as Fenway, he says. The difference is that the atmosphere varies in Chicago, according to Bellhorn.

"Here, it's always like this. Every game," he said.

"I think it's Boston that's different," said catcher Jason Varitek. The Fenway fans, he says, "are in pursuit of the same thing we are." Varitek has numbers to prove he likes Fenway. He is a .294 career hitter at home, .241 on the road.

"My numbers have always been better at home for some stupid reason," he said. "You get in your home environment and in your bed and you're not getting into (another city) at 3 in the morning. There's not a new routine."

Veteran Ellis Burks, in his second tour of duty with the Sox, spoke after Sunday's game about how Fenway's atmosphere has come to be expected among the players, going back to when he was here at the start of his career.

"There are still sellout crowds and a winning attitude. Guys go out each and every day and bust their tails," Burks said.

"There are a lot of different places where I've been on a lot of geat teams," Burks continued. "I remember that unbelievable run we had when I was in San Francisco where we won 25 games in one month and it was unbelievable there, especially when we played the Dodgers." Fenway is like that every game, "even more when we play the Yankees," Burks said.

Manny Ramirez and Pedro Martinez have become virtual cult heroes at Fenway. Pokey Reese is the new darling of the fans. Kevin Youkilis got his first experience over the weekend. The Fenway faithful are already screaming, "Youk, Youk," when he comes to the plate.

"Playing here, it's awesome," Youkilis said. "You've got so many guys around you to help you out . . . It's great to be here with this environment. People yelling, "Youk." All the cheering. Having the experience to go out there and actually step on this dirt every day is so great."

The success at Fenway has helped the Sox put together the second-best record in the majors. With the Yankees on an extended road trip while the Sox are home, Boston has taken over the A.L. East lead and has an opportunity to extend it, even though it still has eight players on the disabled list. Johnny Damon, for one, sees even better times ahead.

"I like how this team is built right now," Damon said. "There are a little too many outfielders playing out there right now, but as soon as Trot (Nixon) comes back, that should solidify what our outfield is and what our outfield should be. When Nomar (Garciaparra) gets back, then we have a big decision to make."

For this week, Damon and his teammates are enjoying the chance to be at home on and off the field.

"We're comfortable here, the fans back us. There's electricity here," Damon said. "We know if we don't show up and play they will boo us all off the field. It gets you going. It's the best place to play baseball."

"It's the players, it's the fans. It's combined," Francona said. "Even when they finish playing the anthem, the people are going bananas. It's hard not to want to play a baseball game. If you can't get excited here, you are probably in the wrong place."