Ryan Dempster got the ball to start the top of the first and he was sharp. Desmond Jenning and Ben Zobrist struck out and Evan Longoria grounded out to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time scoring off Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson in the bottom of the first. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a triple and Shane Victorino brought him home with a ground out. Dustin Pedroia grounded out and Mike Napoli struck out to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Matt Joyce led off the top of the second with a bunt single, but Ryan Roberts struck out and James Loney bounced into a double play to end the inning. Both pitchers put on a clinic from here as Hellickson cruised in the bottom of the second. Jarrod Saltlamacchia struck out, Will Middlebrooks lined out and Stephen Drew struck out to end the inning.
Dempster cruised in the top of the third. Yunel Escobar grounded out as both Jose Lobaton and Kelly Johnson struck out to end the inning. Hellickson matched him in the bottom of the inning. Jonny Gomes and Jackie Bradley Jr struck out and Ellsbury popped up to end the inning.
The Rays struck back in the top of the fourth. Jennings flied out and Zobrist grounded out, but Longoria blasted a solo home run to tie the game. Joyce popped up to end the inning. Hellickson remained red hot in the bottom of the fourth inning. Victorino flied out, Pedroia grounded out and Napoli struck out to end the inning.
Dempster cruised in the top of the fifth inning. Roberts and Loney struck out then Escobar flied out to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fifth when Saltalamacchia homered to put the Sox up 2-1. Middlebrooks struck out but Drew doubled. Gomes struck out and JBJ flied out to end the inning. Lot of strikeouts in this one but the Sox had the lead.
Dempster ran into trouble in the top of the sixth inning. Lobaton flied out but Johnson walked. Johnson swiped second as Jennings struck out. A wild pitch moved Johnson to third as Zobrist walked. Longoria grounded out to end the inning. Hellickson remained hot in the bottom of the sixth. Ellsbury and Victorino flied out and Pedroia grounded out to end the inning.
Dempster returned for the top of the seventh and struck out Joyce to begin the inning. Roberts flied out and Loney struck out to end the inning. That was 7 innings of 1 run ball for Dempster, outstanding.
Hellickson returned for the bottom of the seventh and got Napoli to pop up. Saltlamacchia walked but Middlebrooks banged into a double play to end the inning.
Koji Uehara took the mound in the top of the eighth. Escobar flied out as Sam Fuld pinch hit for Lobaton and struck out. Johnson struck out to end the inning. A fired up Uehara high fived everyone in the dugout afterwards.
Jose Molina took over behind the plate as Jake McGee took over for Hellickson in the bottom of the inning. Drew struck out but Gomes walked. JBJ struck out and Ellsbury popped up to end the inning.
New/old Sox closer Andrew Bailey got the ball to close it out in the top of the ninth. Jennings singled, stole second and scored on the Zobrist single in about 30 seconds to tie the game. Nice relief Bailey.....
Longoria and Joyce whiffed and Roberts popped up to end the inning. Joel Peralta got the ball in the bottom of the ninth and started well by getting Victorino to fly out. Then things turned in the Sox favor as Pedroia worked a walk and Napoli shot a double into the gap, scoring Pedroia with the winning run. The Sox had walked off 3-2!
Hero of the Day is Mike Napoli. His Herculean double drove in the winning run to win the game.
The Good:
Ryan Dempster was outstanding. He tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball, scattering 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 10. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 1 for 2 with a walk, run scored and an rbi. Stephen Drew was 1 for 3. Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
The Bad:
Will Middlebrooks was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts. Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .097...brutal.
The Ugly:
Jacoby Ellsbury was just 1 for 4 but scored a run. Shane Victorino was 0 for 4 but rbi. Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 but walked and scored the winning run. Jonny Gomes was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts but walked. Andrew Bailey vultured a win by giving up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Speaking strictly baseball, that was a hell of a win. Last year's Red Sox only had 3 walkoff wins all year and this was their second this year just 12 games into the season. They showed heart and balls by overcoming Bailey's blown save to win the game. Jackie Bradley Jr needs to be sent down to Pawtucket. He made the jump from Portland last year straight to the majors and he missed some serious development. Luckily its only April so he has plenty of time to come back and turn it around. Also Stephen Drew looked shakey but concussions are no joke. He may not be right for a month. Its a shame they sent down Jose Iglesias but he wasn't going to get playing time behind Drew. The Sox now travel to Cleveland to play Terry Francona's Indians but its going to be very emotional after what happened at the Boston Marathon today. Felix Doubront takes the mound opposite Ubaldo Jimenez.
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