As expected, the Sox sent down both Alfredo Aceves and Allen Webster. Aceves for quitting on them and Webster for being ineffective. In their place are the duo of returning knuckleballer Steven Wright and Pedro Beato.
Jacoby Ellsbury made his return by starting the game off with a single but Mariners starter Aaron Harang got Shane Victorino to bang into a double play. Dustin Pedroia grounded out to end the inning. Felix Doubront took the hill for the Sox and got Brad Miller to ground out before striking out Nick Franklin and Raul Ibanez. Good start for Felix.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second. David Ortiz doubled, Mike Napoli walked and Daniel Nava was hit by a pitch to load the bases. All 3 runners tagged up on a Jarrod Saltalamacchia sac fly which scored Ortiz. Jose Iglesias hit a sac fly as well as everyone moved up, Napoli scoring on the play to make it 2-0. Unfortunately Brock Holt popped up but the Sox had the lead. Doubront worked around a single to Kyle Seager to retire the side in the bottom of the second. Dustin Pedroia worked a 2 out walk and David Ortiz became the all-time leader for hits by a DH with a solo blast to make it 4-0.
Napoli walked and Nava singled but Salty flied out to end the inning. Doubront stayed tough in the bottom of the 3rd, working around a 2 out single to Miller to retire the side. The Sox struck again in the top of the 4th. Ellsbury doubled with 2 out and Victorino singled him home to make it 5-0, welcome back Ellsbury. Ibanez walked to lead off the bottom of the 4th but Doubront got the next 3 outs. 4 shut out innings so far, breath of fresh air from Webster and Lester. Harang retired the side in order in the top of the 5th and Felix ran into trouble in the bottom of the 5th. Justin Smoak struck out but Mike Saunders doubled. Henry Blanco popped up but Miller walked. Franklin popped up to end the inning with the shut-out intact.
The Sox blew the doors wide open in the top of the 6th. Saltalamacchia and Iglesias singled to chase Harang. Mariners manager Eric Wedge poured gas on the fire when he brought in Lucas Luetge. Holt advanced the runners with a ground out and Ellsbury scored Salty with a single to make it 6-0. Victorino brought home Iglesias with a single as well. Pedroia then grounded a ball to short and Brad Miller kindly chucked the ball into right field allowing Ellsbury to score and Victorino to reach third. Ortiz capped off the scoring by hitting a sac fly to make it 9-0 and chase Luetge. Carter Capps came on and got Napoli to ground out to end the inning.
Jackie Bradley Jr replaced Victorino in right field as Doubront retired the side in order in the bottom of the 6th. Nava walked to begin the 7th but was erased on the Saltalamacchia fielder's choice. Iglesias took one for the team and Holt walked to load the bases. To get the bench some work, Sox manager John Farrell pinch hit Mike Carp for Ellsbury.....who struck out. Bradley Jr grounded out and the rally was dead. Bradley moved to center, Nava to right, Snyder at third and Holt to second (Snyder bats for Pedroia now). Doubront ran into trouble when Jason Bay doubled to lead the bottom of the 7th. Doubront got the next two outs but Blanco singled to ruin the shut-out. Miller grounded out to end the inning, Doubront goes 7 innings and gave up 1 run, impressive.
Oliver Perez took the mound for the top of the 8th. Brandon Snyder lined out and Ryan Lavarnway pinch hit for Ortiz....grounding out in the process. Napoli struck out to end the inning. Brandon Workman then made his major league debut in the bottom of the 8th. Brendan Ryan greeted him with a home run to left field. Welcome to the big leagues Brandon. Dustin Ackley and Kendrys Morales doubled to make it 9-3. Seager flied out but Morales went to third. Bay struck out but Smoak doubled in Morales. Saunders struck out to end the inning. 3 runs allowed by Workman, tough debut.
The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the top of the 9th against closer Tom Wilhelmsen. Nava and Salty worked back to back walks and Iglesias advanced Nava to third with a fly out. Wilhelmsen chucked a pitch in the dirt, allowing Nava to score and advance Salty to second. Holt singled and Carp singled in a run to make it 11-4. Bradley Jr and Snyder struck out to end the inning. Workman returned for the 9th and bounced back to strike out 2 of the 3 batters he faced to end the game with the Sox winning 11-4.
THE GOOD:
Hero of the night goes to David Ortiz. Felix Doubront deserved it more but Ortiz made major league history so for that we got to give him the nod.
Ortiz was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and 3 rbi's. Jacoby Ellsbury was 3 for 4 with an rbi and 2 runs scored before being pinch hit for by Mike Carp. Carp was 1 for 2 with an rbi single. Shane Victorino was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an rbi. Daniel Nava was 1 for 2 with 2 walks, an HBP and a run scored. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 1 for 3 with a walk, a run scored and 2 rbi's. Jose Iglesias was 1 for 3 with a HBP and an rbi. Felix Doubront was outstanding, improving to 6-3 and lowering his ERA under 4 at 3.91. He allowed 5 hits only walked 2 and struck out 6. Maybe he's finally in shape.
THE BAD:
Mostly the pinch hitters. Jackie Bradley Jr and Brandon Snyder were both 0 for 2 with a strikeout. Ryan Lavarnway was 0 for 1.
THE UGLY:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 but walked and scored a run. Brock Holt was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run. Brandon Workman made his debut by giving up 3 runs in the 8th but got the side in order in the bottom of the 9th.
Final Thoughts:
This was their first "good" win since the last win against the Angels. Virtually nothing went wrong and nobody got hurt. Doubront continues to impress which is desperately needed with Buchholz pulling his yearly disabled list stint. David Ortiz made major league history and the word is Workman is going to be a stud pitcher. All in all it was a good night. The win improves the Sox to 56-37, still 3.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays who won their 7th in a row. Joe Maddon's teams just won't go away and die, a mark of a great manager. Ryan Dempster goes tomorrow to wrap up the 4 game set.
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