When Joe Kelly took the field Friday night at Fenway Park, the fans treated him to a standing ovation.

It was Kelly's first appearance after he plunked New York Yankees first baseman Tyler Austin during Wednesday's game, igniting a benches-clearing melee. The standing O, presumably in response to his part in the fracas, is something he will cherish.

"That standing O was freaking badass," Kelly told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. "It got me hyped. It's one of those moments I will remember forever."

It also worked. Kelly pitched a scoreless eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles without allowing a baserunner.

While he technically received a six-game suspension for hitting Austin, he has appealed the decision and is thus eligible to play until it's either upheld or altered.