Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Matt Albers was placed on the Disabled List and the portly Dennys Reyes was designated for assignment. With all the bullpen help the Sox have, Reyes just wasn't getting it done. In their places the Sox activated Felix Doubront from the Disabled List and brought up Alfredo Aceves from Pawtucket.
Lackey got pounded in the top of the first as Brett Gardner started the game with a walk. Derek Jeter popped up a bunt to catcher Jarrod Saltlamacchia but Mark Teixeira flied out to center. Gardner swiped second but Alex Rodriguez walked and Robinson Cano cleared the bases with a double to the centerfield wall to give the Yankees the lead. Nick Swisher flied out to left to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 2-0.
The Sox struck back in the bottom of the first although Carl Crawford led off by lining out to second. Pedroia got the Sox on the board with his first home run of the year to cut the lead. Adrian Gonzalez flied out to right but Kevin Youkilis walked. David Ortiz flied out to left to end the inning but the Sox were down 2-1.
The Yankees struck again in the top of the second although Jorge Posada grounded out to first. Curtis Granderson doubled off the Monster and moved to third on the Russell Martin grounder. Gardner doubled off the Monster to increase the lead but Jeter grounded out to first to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 3-1.
The Sox exploded to take command in the bottom of the second as JD Drew singled to center to start. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury dumped back to back base hits to right to load the bases and Scutaro forced Saltalamacchia at third, but Drew scored to cut the lead. Both runners moved over on the Crawford grounder and Pedroia lined a base hit to center. Ellsbury scored easily and Granderson's throw to nail Scutaro sailed wide. Scutaro scored and Pedroia took second with the Sox now in the lead. Gonzalez singled through the hole at short to score Pedroia with another run. Youkilis walked and Ortiz slapped a base hit to center. Gonzalez scored but Youkilis was caught in a rundown to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-3.
The Yankees struck back in the top of the third although Teixeira was rung up for strike three to start. A-Rod was plunked and Cano doubled down the left field line to make fans groan. Swisher grounded out to short but A-Rod scored to cut the lead. Posada grounded out to first to end the inning as the Yankees were down 6-4.
Hughes was finished and in came old friend Bartolo Colon for the bottom of the third. Drew and Saltalamacchia both struck out looking and Ellsbury popped up to left to end the inning.
The Yankees struck again in the top of the fourth although Granderson popped up to left to start. Martin grounded out to third but Gardner tripled into the right field corner. Jeter lined a base hit to center to score Gardner and cut the lead. A wild pitch moved Jeter to second but Teixeira took strike three to end the inning with the Yankees down 6-5.
Scutaro flied out to right to start the bottom of the fourth and Crawford flied out to center. Pedroia took strike three to end the inning.
The Yankees finally tied it in the top of the fifth as A-Rod hit a home run all the way to the Gulf of Mexico to tie the game. Cano grounded out to second, Swisher lined out to left and Posada flied out to center to end the inning. That was it for Lackey who was miserable, allowing 6 runs in just 5 innings.
The Sox fought back in the bottom of the fifth although Gonzalez grounded out to second to start. Youkilis walked and Ortiz hit a grounder...UNDER THE GLOVE OF TEIXEIRA! Youkilis took third but Drew failed to bring him home with a pop up to left. Saltalamacchia delivered with a double off the Monster to score Youk with the go-ahead run. Ellsbury hit a rocket to center and Swisher ran into Granderson while Curtis made the catch to end the inning. The Sox had taken the lead 7-6.
Alfredo Aceves came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Granderson struck out swinging to start. Martin singled in the hole at short and Gardner walked, but Jeter banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Scutaro lined out to short to start. Crawford struck out swinging and Pedroia flied out to center to end the inning.
Bobby Jenks came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Teixeira walked to start. A-Rod went down swinging and Teixeira was erased on a force by Cano. Swisher flied out to left to end the inning. The Sox got insurance in the bottom of the seventh as Gonzalez caught the Yankees a sleep with a bunt single to third to start. Youkilis struck out swinging and Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulled Colon for Boone Logan. The gamble backfired as Ortiz doubled to left and Drew singled home both runners to ice the game. Saltalamacchia popped up to left and Ellsbury grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-6.
Fireballer Daniel Bard was brought in to replace Jenks for the top of the eighth and Posada grounded out to first to start. Granderson struck out swinging and Martin grounded out to second to end the inning. David Robertson came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Scutaro flied out to right to start. Crawford grounded out to first but Pedroia got a base hit to left. Gonzalez grounded out to first to end the inning.
Closer Jonathan Papelbon came in to close out the top of the ninth. Gardner struck out looking and Jeter struck out swinging. Teixeira flied out to Ellsbury to end the game. The Sox had won their first game of the season 9-6.
Hero of the Night is Dustin Pedroia. He drove in 3 runs and went 3 for 5 on the day
The Good:
Adrian Gonzalez was 2 for 5 with an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Kevin Youkilis walked 3 times and scored a run.
David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
JD Drew was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis and a run scored.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Alfredo Aceves pitched a scoreless sixth inning
Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless inning.
Daniel Bard pitched a scoreless inning.
Jonathan Papelbon got the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Carl Crawford was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Jacoby Ellsbury was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Marco Scutaro was 0 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run.
John Lackey got the win but allowed 6 runs in 5 winnings.
Final Thoughts:
So that's what a win feels like. After losing the first six games of the season, the Sox finally won a game and still looked bad doing it. The offense woke up for the first time all year but Lackey almost gave the game away. Good thing Sox manager Terry Francona pulled him when he did. Good on the bullpen to toss 4 shutout innings after Lackey was gone. If the offense performs like this consistently, the Sox will be very hard to beat. The problem is they haven't done this for the first 6 games of the season. Hopefully the all-star pitching will match the offense and it all comes together. Beating the Yankees for their first win didn't hurt either. The Sox are going to need Bard, Jenks and Papelbon healthy if they want to shorten games this season and today was one of those games with Lackey only going 5 innings. All in all it was a good win and hope this is the start they need to get back on track. Tomorrow afternoon the Sox look to make it two in a row against the Yankees when Clay Buchholz (0-1) takes the mound against Ivan Nova of New York. The game begins at 1:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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