The Sox started Brandon Snyder at third over Jonathan Diaz after yesterday's mishap. In the top of the first, Ryan Dempster took the rubber and struck out Jose Reyes. Jose Bautista flied out and Edwin Encarnarcion grounded out to end the inning. Dustin Pedroia worked a 2 out walk in the bottom of the first against Mark Buehrle but Jonny Gomes grounded out. The pesky Adam Lind grounded out to open the top of the 2nd, Rajai Davis struck out and Colby Rasmus flied out to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second. Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava lined back to back singles and Ryan Lavarnway hit a ball that both Lind and Bautista lost in the sun, dropping in fair territory then into the stands for a ground rule double that scored Napoli.
Jose Iglesias struck out but Brandon Snyder proved his worth by doubling in Nava and Lavarnway.
Jacoby Ellsbury was hit by a pitch but with Buehrle on the ropes, Shane Victorino struck out and Dustin Pedroia grounded out to end the inning.
Dempster got the first 2 outs in the top of the third before Munenori Kawasaki singled and Reyes walked. Bautista grounded out to end the inning but Dempster's pitch count took a hit. Adam Lind departed with injury and Josh Thole replaced him. Buehrle got the side in order in the bottom of the third.
The Jays broke through in the top of the 4th. Edwin Encarnarcion singled but Thole flied out. Rajai Davis and Rasmus hit back to back singles to cut the lead 3-1. Rajai Davis stole third but JP Arencibia walked to load the bases. Maircer Izturis grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Davis to make it 3-2. Kawasaki grounded out but the damage was done. Buehrle responded by getting the side in order in the bottom of the 4th. Bautista singled with one out in the top of the 5th but Encarnarcion's double play got Dempster out of the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the 5th. Jacoby Ellsbury singled and advanced to second on the groundout by Victorino. Pedroia grounded out but Gomes doubled in Ellsbury to up the lead 4-2. Dempster ran out of gas in the top of the 6th. Thole walked, Davis singled and Rasmus singled to load the bases with nobody out. Arencebia popped up but Sox manager John Farrell lifted Dempster for lefty Craig Breslow.
Breslow got Izturis to pop up and struck out pinch hitter Emilio Bonifacio to end the threat. Buehrle worked around a 2 out hit by Ellsbury to retire the side in the bottom of the 6th. Breslow returned for the top of the 7th but was chased early when Jose Reyes blooped one into the monster seats to cut the lead 4-3. Rookie Alex Wilson was pressed into duty but allowed a single to Bautista. Wilson got Encarnarcion to pop up but once again Farrell bounded out of the dugout, this time he wanted Andrew Miller to face Thole and Davis. Miller did his job by striking out both men but Farrell had burned Breslow and Wilson. If this game goes into extras's, Farrell is in trouble. Dustin McGowan relieved Buehrle and retired the side in order in the bottom of the 7th. Andrew Miller worked around a 2 out walk to Izturis to retire the side in the top of the 8th, keeping the lead intact at 4-3.
Daniel Nava stroked a 2 out single in the bottom of the 8th but a Lavarnway ground out ended matters. Now it was on to the 9th and Koji Uehara was gunning for his 5th save of the season. Jose Reyes flied out to right but in stepped Jose Bautista.....BANG! Bautista launched his 3rd home run in two days as Uehara had become the 4th closer of the season to fail in the 9th inning. Uehara got out of the inning but the game was now tied 4-4.
Now it was on to the bottom of the 9th, could the Sox pick up Uehara after he picked them up all season? Juan Perez had been automatic for the Jays recently and he got the ball. Iglesias grounded out but Snyder singled. Ellsbury walked and Jonathan Diaz ran for Snyder. Jays closer Casey Janssen relieved Perez and induced a ground ball from Victorino....off the glove of Thole at first base allowing Diaz to score the winning run. RED SOX WIN 5-4!!
THE GOOD:
Hero of the Night is a tough one. Even though he didn't get the game winner, I'm still going with none other than Brandon Snyder. Snyder was 2 for 4 with 2 rbi's and he would have scored the winning run if he wasn't pinch ran for.
Other babyfaces include Jacoby Ellsbury who was 1 for 3 with a walk and run scored. Daniel Nava was 2 for 4 with a run scored. Jonathan Diaz pinch ran for Snyder and scored the winning run. Andrew Miller pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 2.64.
THE BAD:
The one name on this list is unfortunately Koji Uehara. He vultured his first win of the season by blowing the 9th inning save, ruining a chance for Dempster to inch closer to a .500 record.
THE UGLY:
Everyone else. Shane Victorino was 0 for 4 and technically the final at bat makes him 0 for 5 but it nevertheless scored the winning run. Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 but walked. Jonny Gomes was just 1 for 4 but made it count with an rbi double and later scored a run. Ryan Lavarnway also got just 1 hit in 4 at bats but made it count by doubling in a run and scoring. Jose Iglesias was just 1 for 4. Craig Breslow worked out of a bases loaded and one out jam but served up a homer to Jose Reyes. Alex Wilson faced 2 batters and only got one of them. Ryan Dempster only made it through 5 1/3 innings while allowing 2 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks.
Final Thoughts:
It wasn't pretty but a win is a win. Taking 3 of 4 from the suddenly red hot Blue Jays is nothing to laugh at. The Sox became the first American League team to win 50 games. The great thing about the Sox this season is their role players are stepping up big time. Brandon Snyder was called up and he was the game's hero and Jonathan Diaz filled in for Stephen Drew and scored the winning run. Still, the bullpen is in trouble by blowing yet another lead. What the Sox need in the next series is long outings from the starters to give the arms in the pen a rest. They may need to bring back Clayton Mortensen instead of dumping him. The win puts the Sox at 50-34, 2 1/2 games in front of the Dirty Birds who are on a hot streak of their own. Chris Davis is on pace for 60 home runs this season if he doesn't get hurt or get caught with PED's. Tomorrow is an off-day which means the final look at Down on the Farm. The Sox are back in action Tuesday night at Fenway Park against the San Diego Padres. John Lackey takes the hill opposite rookie Robbie Erlin.
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