Sale got the ball in the top of the first and Dustin Pedroia led off by grounding out to third. Xander Bogaerts struck out swinging and David Ortiz was robbed of a home run at the wall by Adam Eaton to end the inning. Lester got the ball in the bottom of the first Eaton grounded back to the mound to start. Marcus Semien grounded out to short and Dayan Viciedo popped up to first to end the inning.
Mike Napoli led off the top of the second by striking out swinging and Jonny Gomes grounded out to third. David Ross drew a walk but Daniel Nava forced him at second to end the inning. Adam Dunn popped up to first to start the bottom of the second before Paul Konerko took strike three. Alexei Ramirez lined out to Bogaerts to end the inning.
Ryan Roberts struck out swinging to start the top of the third before Jackie Bradley Jr went down hacking and Pedroia grounded out to third to end the inning. Lester turned up the heat in the bottom of the third as Alejandro De Aza watched strike three go by to begin. Tyler Flowers struck out swinging and Leury Garcia was frozen for strike three to end the inning,
Bogaerts was plunked to begin the top of the fourth but Ortiz took strike three. Napoli flied out to center and Bogaerts tagged up on the play. Gomes struck out swinging to end the inning. Eaton popped up to short to start the bottom of the fourth and Viciedo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ross and Nava struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Roberts popped up to left to end the inning. Dunn flied out to left to start the bottom of the fifth before Konerko hit one up the elevator shaft. Ramirez took strike three to end the inning.
The BoSox struck first in the top of the sixth as JBJ took strike three to start. Pedroia lined out to short but Bogaerts smashed his first home run of the season to put Boston on top. Ortiz flied out to center to end the inning with the BoSox up 1-0.
The ChiSox answered in the bottom of the sixth against Lester as De Aza grounded out to first to start. Flowers broke up the perfect game with a base hit past the diving Bogaerts and Garcia pounded a ground rule double over the head of Nava. Eaton hit a grounder to second and beat out the throw to first to score Flowers. Semien took strike three and Viciedo flied out to right to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Napoli walked to start the top of the seventh but Gomes flied out to left. Ross walked but Nava flied out to right. Roberts struck out swinging to end Sale's day of dominance. Dunn got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the seventh but Konerko flied out to right. Ramirez lined out to right and De Aza hit a rocket into the right field corner. Dunn tried to score from first but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
You're outta there!
Ronald Belisario came in to pitch the top of the eighth and JBJ walked to start. Pedroia banged into a double play and Bogaerts struck out swinging to end the inning. Lester returned for one final inning in the bottom of the eighth and Flowers got a base hit to center. Garcia dropped down a bunt to move Flowers to second but Eaton took strike three. Semien lined a base hit off the glove of Lester but Viciedo struck out swinging to end the inning. Lester was outstanding, allowing 1 run in 8 innings off 7 hits while striking out nine.
The BoSox broke through in the top of the ninth as Ortiz was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start. Napoli beat out a roller to third and Mike Carp pinch hit for Gomes. Carp got a base hit to left and Ross doubled to right to score Napoli. Nava was intentionally walked and Scott Downs was brought in to face Roberts. Sox manager John Farrell countered by pinch running Grady Sizemore for Carp and pinch hitting Jonathan Herrera for Roberts. Herera caught everyone asleep with a suicide squeeze bunt to score Sizemore with the insurance run. JBJ hit a bullet to short and Ross was doubled off third to end the inning with Boston up 3-1.
Koji Uehara came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Dunn struck out swinging to start. Konerko popped up to first but Ramirez got a base hit to left. Jose Abreu pinch hit for De Aza and grounded out to third to end the game. Boston had won it 3-1.
Hero of The Night is Jon Lester. He tossed 8 innings of 1 run ball while allowing 7 hits and striking out 9 batters.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a home run and a hit by pitch.
Mike Napoli was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Carp got a base hit as a pinch hitter.
Grady Sizemore scored a run as a pinch runner.
David Ross was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and an rbi.
Jonathan Herrera drove in a run with a base hit.
Koji Uehara earned his third save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4.
David Ortiz was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jonny Gomes was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Ryan Roberts was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Daniel Nava was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked and threw out a baserunner.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Final Thoughts:
That was as close as you'll get to a 2013 win as you can get. Lester matched zeroes with Chris Sale then took the lead late in the game. This had Game 5 of the World Series last year vibes with Ross delivering the rbi double late in the game then Uehara slamming the door. The Sox have been struggling this year but this was a damn good win even if Pedroia and Ortiz did absolutely nothing. Ryan Roberts continues to do nothing and the rumor is the Sox are thinking of signing Stephen Drew back. They're better off putting Bogaerts at short and rolling the dice with a new third baseman if Will Middlebrooks is hurt long term. All in all it was a good win and that's two big ones in a row. The Sox now return home to face the Baltimore Orioles for a four game set. Tomorrow night John Lackey (2-1) goes one on one with Chris Tillman of Baltimore. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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