The past few days the Boston Red Sox would keep games close with the Baltimore Orioles only for them to get the winning or insurance runs late, tonight it was the opposite. Jon Lester (3-1, 2.52 ERA) pitched an 8 inning gem where he held the O's to just 2 runs. Dustin Pedroia broke a 2-2 deadlock with an rbi single in the top of the seventh as Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury drove in the next 3 runs to put the game out of reach. Jonathan Papelbon slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth and the Red Sox snapped their two game skid with a 6-2 victory over the O's at Camden Yards.
Brad Bergesen got the ball in the top of the first inning and the Sox wasted no time getting to him. Jacoby Ellsbury doubled to center but Dustin Pedroia struck out swinging. Adrian Gonzalez doubled to the left field wall to score Ellsbury with the first run. Kevin Youkilis walked but David Ortiz banged into a double play with the Sox up 1-0.
The O's struck back in the bottom of the first against Lester as Brian Roberts walked to start. Nick Markakis singled to right and Roberts stole third before he scored on the Derrek Lee base hit into left to tie the game. Vladimir Guerrero struck out swinging and Adam Jones banged into a double play to end the inning but it was tied 1-1.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the second as JD Drew flied out to Jones on the first pitch. Jarrod Saltalamacchia grounded out to short and Carl Crawford flied out to right to end the inning. Lester settled down in the bottom of the second as Matt Wieters took strike three to start. Mark Reynolds grounded out to short and Jake Fox grounded out to second to end the inning.
Boston took the lead in the top of the third although Marco Scutaro flied out to center to start. Ellsbury dumped a base hit to left and moved to second on the grounder to third by Pedroia. Gonzalez slashed a base hit to right to score Ellsbury to give Boston the lead back. Youkilis flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Lester cruised in the bottom of the third as Robert Andino grounded out to short to start. Roberts flied out to right and Markakis flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fourth as Ortiz flied out to left to start. Drew grounded out to short and Saltalamacchia took strike three to end the inning. Lester got in trouble in the bottom of the fourth although Lee watched strike three go by to begin. Guerrero grounded out to short but Jones and Wieters took back to back walks. Reynolds grounded out to short to end the inning.
Bergensen cruised in the top of the fifth as Crawford flied out to center to start. Scutaro also flied out to center and Ellsbury struck out swinging to end the inning. Lester dominated the bottom of the fifth as Fox flied out to center to start. Andino grounded out to third and Roberts flied out to left to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the sixth as Pedroia beat out an infield single to the mound to start. Gonzalez doubled down the left field line but Youkilis and Ortiz both struck out swinging. Drew was intentionally walked to load the bases but Saltalamacchia flied out to center to end the inning. The O's tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as Markakis grounded out to second to start. Lee took strike three but Guerrero hit his 440th career home run to tie the game. Jones struck out swinging to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Jim Johnson came in to pitch the top of the seventh and the Sox rallied. Crawford doubled to right but Scutaro botched the bunt and Carl stayed at second. Ellsbury moved Crawford to third with a grounder to second and Carl scored on the Pedroia roller that Reynolds couldn't come up with. Gonzalez grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-2.
Lester got the O's to beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the seventh as Wieters grounded out to second to start. Reynolds grounded back to Lester and Fox grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox iced it in the top of the eighth as Youkilis walked to chase Johnson. Mike Gonzalez came in to pitch to Ortiz and David singled to center. Mike Cameron pinch hit for Drew and walked to load the bases. Saltalamacchia slashed a base hit to center to score Youkilis and re-load the bases. Crawford struck out swinging and that was it for Gonzalez. Jason Berken got Scutaro to pop up to second but Ellsbury dropped a base hit to center to score Ortiz and Cameron to ice the game. Pedroia grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-2.
Lester returned for one final inning in the bottom of the eighth with Jed Lowrie taking over for Youk at third. Andino doubled past Crawford in right but Roberts grounded out to second. Markakis flied out to left and Lee grounded out to third to end the inning. Lester was amazing, tossing 8 innings of 2 run ball to keep the Sox in the game.
Josh Rupe came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Gonzalez grounded out to short to start. Lowrie and Ortiz stroked back to back base hits to center but Cameron banged into a double play to end the inning. Jonathan Papelbon came on to close out the bottom of the ninth and Guerrero struck out swinging to start on a 96 mph fastball to begin. Jones flied out to left and Wieters grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-2.
Hero of the Night is Jon Lester. He dominated the Orioles going 8 innings while allowing just 2 runs. He allowed 4 hits and 3 walks.
The Good:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5 with an rbi.
Adrian Gonzalez was 3 for 5 with 2 rbis.
Kevin Youkilis walked twice and scored a run in four plate appearances.
Jed Lowrie singled in his only plate appearance.
David Ortiz was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Mike Cameron walked and scored at the plate.
Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Marco Scutaro was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
JD Drew was 0 for 2 but walked.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but drove in a run.
Carl Crawford was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
At this point the Red Sox just need to survive the month and hope they can hit the gas in May. It was a good win but some of the holes on this team are glaring. Scutaro and Crawford are automatic outs right now and Saltalamacchia/Varitek isn't much better. The fact everyone from Ellsbury to Drew has been red hot helps but the bottom of the order is a mess right now. Lester pitched a great game and the starting pitching has been fine the last few weeks. If the Sox can get Scutaro and Crawford going, they'll be in good shape moving forward. Its about time the Sox got some hits with RISP and that's going to be a big key to the season if they can show life with men on base. As the month comes to a close, the fact the Sox was able to turn a 2-10 start to 11-13 after tonight is nothing short of miraculous. The New York Yankees will be looking over their shoulder at the Sox and the battle for AL East supremacy will begin soon. As for now, great win. The Sox now come home to face the Seattle Mariners to end the month. Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-2) looks to make it 3 great starts in a row against Jason Vargas of the Mariners. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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