It was a good day for Boston sports. The Boston Celtics staved off elimination with their Game 4 first round victory over the New York Knicks and the Boston Red Sox swept the Houston Astros. John returned and pitched like the Lackey of old, and by old I mean 2009. He looks in shape for the first time in years and apart from a lousy first inning, he held the Houston Astros to just 1 run. The Red Sox offense scratched out 6 runs and they completed the four game sweep with a 6-1 victory at Fenway Park.
Lackey pitched like crap in the top of the first inning. Robbie Grossman struck out and Jose Altuve grounded out, but Jason Castro walked. Carlos Pena walked and Ronny Cedeno singled home Castro. Fernando "Cinco-cinco-cinco nuevedos-nuevedos" Martinez flied out to right to end the inning with the Astros up 1-0. The Sox didn't waste anytime coming back in the bottom of the first inning against Astros starter Bud Norris. Jacoby Ellsbury grounded out but Daniel Nava doubled. Dustin Pedroia walked and David Ortiz singled home Nava to tie the game. Mike Napoli struck out but Mike Carp walked to load the bases. Jarrod Saltalamacchia grounded out to kill the rally but the game was tied.
Lackey almost cruised in the top of the second inning. Matt Dominguez singled but Rick Ankiel flied out to right. Marwin Gonzalez grounded out to third and Grossman flied out to right to end the inning. Norris settled down in the bottom of the second inning. Will Middlebrooks singled but Stephen Drew struck out. Ellsbury beat out a double-play ball but was thrown out trying to steal to end the inning.
Lackey found his groove in the top of the third inning. Altuve and Castro grounded out before Pena struck out to end the inning. Norris matched Lackey in the bottom of the third inning. Nava struck out and Pedroia flied out. Ortiz flied out to end the inning.
Lackey cruised in the top of the fourth inning. Cedeno flied out to right, Martinez struck out and Dominguez flied out to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Napoli singled but was foolishly thrown out trying to stretch into a double. Carp and Saltalamacchia stroked back to back singles but Middlebrooks struck out. Drew then tripled home the two runners to give the Sox a 3-1 lead. Ellsbury grounded out to end the inning.
Lackey continued to dominate in the top of the fifth inning. Ankiel, Gonzalez and Grossman all grounded out to end the inning in short order. The Sox rallied again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gonzalez not only booted a ground ball, he thew wide to first allowing Nava to reach second base. Pedroia doubled home Nava but Ortiz flied out to right. Napoli struck out but Carp doubled home Pedroia. Saltalamacchia flied out to end the inning with the Sox up 5-1.
Lackey returned for one last inning in the top of the sixth inning. Altuve grounded out but Castro singled. Pena and Cedeno singled to load the bases but Lackey got a huge strikeout by getting Martinez swinging. Dominguez grounded out to end the inning. After a rough first inning, Lackey hung tough to toss 6 solid inning.
Norris returned for the bottom of the sixth and cruised. Middlebrooks lined out, Drew popped up and Ellsbury whiffed to end the inning.
Clayton "Vigo" Mortensen came on to pitch the top of the seventh inning. Ankiel popped up but Mortensen booted a ground ball and did a cannonball on home plate rather than try to field it, allowing Gonzalez to reach first. Marwin was erased on the force by Grossman. Altuve grounded out to end the inning. The Sox rallied again in the bottom of the seventh inning off of Jose Cisnero. Nava singled and took second on a balk. Pedroia lined out but Ortiz doubled home Nava. Napoli and Carp both struck out to end the inning but it was now 6-1.
Jonny Gomes took over in left as Koji Uehara came on to pitch the top of the eighth inning. Castro flied out but Pena singled. Cedeno flied out but Uehara uncorked a wild pitch to advance Pena to second. Martinez grounded out to second base to end the inning. Cisnero returned for the bottom of the eighth but the bats were done for the night. Saltalamacchia whiffed, Middlebrooks flied out and Drew popped up to end the inning.
Sox closer Andrew Bailey took over for the top of the ninth to get some work in since he hadnt been needed for four days now. Dominguez flied out but Ankiel hit a ground rule double. Gonzalez flied out and Grossman flied out to end the game. The Sox had won 5 in a row and swept the Astros with a 6-1 victory.
Hero of the Night is John Lackey. He came off the disabled list to toss 6 innings of 1 run ball, surviving a tough first inning to scatter 5 hits and 2 walks.
The Good:
Daniel Nava was 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored.
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's.
Mike Carp was 2 for 3 with a walk, run scored and rbi before being lifted for Gomes.
Clayton Mortensen pitched a scoreless 7th inning.
Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Andrew Bailey pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Mike Napoli was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was just 1 for 4 with a run scored.
Will Middlebrooks was just 1 for 4
Stephen Drew was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as 2 run triple put the Sox ahead for good.
Honorable Mention:
Jonny Gomes played left field in the later innings
Final Thoughts:
Maybe its too early to start believing, but this Red Sox team seems to be gelling faster than anyone expected. Getting John Lackey back in shape with Lester and Buchholz plus a shutdown bullpen may just be enough to overcome the offensive woes to be a contender this year. The Sox offense is producing now but who knows how things will play out. The platoon of Nava and Gomes has paid off, Napoli has been an rbi machine and Shane Victorino finds ways to get on base. Pedroia and Ortiz have been themselves and Ellsbury is having a great start. Today's game was a microcosm of the month and maybe it won't last, but it sure is fun to watch. Tomorrow is an off-day so the Sox will be back Tuesday night in Toronto to face the Blue Jays. Jon Lester goes up against Brandon Morrow at 7 PM.
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