After a terrible weekend, the world champion Boston Red Sox got back on track against the visiting Texas Rangers. John Lackey (2-0, 1.38 ERA) tossed 7 gutty innings to earn the win while Jackie Bradley Jr and AJ Pierzynski paced the offensive attack. RBI's by Daniel Nava and Dustin Pedroia along with shutdown relief by Chris Capuano and Koji Uehara sent the Sox to a 5-1 victory over the Rangers at Fenway Park.
Lackey got the ball in the top of the first inning and Shin-Soo Choo was rung up for strike three on a high strike to begin the game. Elvis Andrus lined a bullet right to Pedroia for the out before Prince Fielder grounded out to second to end the inning. Tanner Scheppers got the ball in the bottom of the first and Daniel Nava led off the game by getting hit with a pitch. Dustin Pedroia whiffed on a curveball before David Ortiz grounded into the shift but Andrus dropped the throw to extend the inning. Rangers manager Ron Washington came out to challenge that the ball was caught but the relay throw was dropped. The call was upheld only for Mike Napoli to bang into a double play to end the inning.
Old buddy Adrian Beltre lined out to center to open the top of the second before Alex Rios got a base hit to left only for Nava to boot the ball, allowing Rios to reach second. Mitch Moreland struck out swinging and Jackie Bradley Jr made a sliding catch on a Donnie Murphy liner to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Grady Sizemore grounded out to second to start. Xander Bogaerts legged out a seeing eye single and made it to third on a hit and run single by AJ Pierzynski. Jonathan Herrera popped up to Beltre in foul territory but JBJ got a base hit up the middle to score Bogaerts and advance Pierzynski to third. Nava drew a walk to load the bases but Pedroia grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0
Leonys Martin tried to catch the Sox asleep with a bunt to start the top of the third but the alert Pedroia gunned him down at first. JP Arencibia flied out to a running JBJ before Choo tripled just over the head of Sizemore in center. Andrus grounded out to second to end the inning. Ortiz led off the bottom of the third by grounding into the shift before Napoli singled to left. Sizemore hit into a double play to end the inning.
The Rangers struck back in the top of the fourth although Fielder grounded out to second to start. Beltre and Rios stroked back to back singles before a passed ball moved them both into scoring position. Sizemore made a great diving catch on a Moreland liner but Beltre scored to tie the game. Murphy whiffed to end the inning but the game was tied 1-1.
The Sox wasted no time getting the lead back in the bottom of the fourth although Bogaerts grounded out to short to start. Pierzynski singled to center and Herrera singled him to third. The defensive wizard JBJ came up big as his base hit to left scored AJ and moved Herrera to third. Nava popped up to left and Pedroia popped up to first in foul territory to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Lackey whiffed Martin to begin the top of the fifth before Arencibia grounded out to second. Choo was frozen for strike three to end the inning. The Sox blew a chance to get some insurance in the bottom of the fifth as Ortiz whiffed on a 95 mph fastball. Napoli singled past the diving Murphy to right and Sizemore singled in almost the same spot. Bogaerts popped up to first but a wild pitch moved the runners over. Pierzynski whiffed to end the inning.
Lackey kept up the pace in the top of the sixth although Andrus singled up the middle to start. Fielder popped up to center and Beltre hit into a double play to end the inning. Pedro Figueroa took over on the mound for the bottom of the sixth and Herrera was plunked to start. JBJ flied out to center as Sox analyst learned how to send a text, but Nava banged into a double play to end the inning.
Rios worked a leadoff walk to start the top of the seventh and swiped second. Rios moved to third on the grounder by Moreland but Lackey got a big out when Murphy popped up to second. Martin drew a walk and Sox pitching coach Juan Nieves sprinted to the mound to tell Lackey that 2 plus 2 is 4. Martin swiped second but Arencibia grounded out to second to end the inning. That was it for Lackey who tossed 7 innings of 1 run ball to put the Sox in line for the win.
Seth Rosin came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Pedroia led off by grounding out to short to begin. Ortiz hit a fly out a mile high to center before Napoli beat out a grounder under the glove of Murphy. Sizemore doubled off the Monster but Bogaerts took strike three to end the inning.
Chris Capuano got the call to pitch the top of the eighth and Choo singled into the left field corner to start. Andrus lined out to Sizemore in center before Fielder banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the eighth as Pierzynski singled to center to begin. Herrera tried to bunt but Rosin ended up walking him. JBJ did drop down a bunt but everyone ran for it and nobody covered first. Fielder threw the ball to no one and Pierzynski scored, Herrera moving to third on the error. That was it for Rosin as Shawn Tolleson came in to pour gas on the fire as Nava singled home Herrera and moved JBJ to third. Pedroia beat out a double play ball to score JBJ with another run. Ortiz forced Pedroia at second and Napoli forced Ortiz at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
It was time for the Orient Express as Koji Uehara came in to close out the top of the ninth inning. Beltre lined out to left and Herrera nearly fell into the Ranger dugout to snare a pop up from Rios. Moreland extended the inning with a base hit over the head of Pedroia before Murphy doubled off the Monster. Martin whiffed to end the game. The Sox snapped their 3 game losing streak with a 5-1 win.
Hero of the Night is Jackie Bradley Jr. He drove in 2 runs and made 2 great catches to lead the Sox to victory.
The Good:
Daniel Nava was 1 for 3 with a walk, rbi and a hit by pitch.
Mike Napoli was 3 for 5.
Grady Sizemore was 2 for 4.
AJ Pierzynski was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Jonathan Herrera was 1 for 2 with a walk, hit by pitch and a run scored.
John Lackey got the win by tossing 7 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed just 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
Chris Capuano tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
David Ortiz was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox offense is off to a cold start but John Lackey is picking up where he left off last season. He pitched a determined game after the Sox had lost 3 straight games and the offense picked him up. Koji Uehara looks just as dominant as he did last year so that's encouraging. The Sox offense is going to have to figure itself out if the Sox hope to repeat this season. Sizemore hasn't played in 3 years so he's going to have to knock some rust off. Getting Shane Victorino back to full strength would help big time. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it two in a row over the Rangers when they send Felix Doubront (1-0) to the mound to take on Martin Perez at 6:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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