Sox Hang On To Beat Angels (8/18/10)

The Sox turned the tables on Major League Baseball last night, they found a way to win against the Los Angeles Angels.

Red Sox starter John Lackey (12-7, 4.62 ERA) was completely off through the first 5 innings. His counterpart Scott Kazmir wasn't much better. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Adrian Belre singled in Dustin Pedroia. Lackey allowed hits in the 1st and second but escaped with no runs allowed.

Trouble brewed in the top of the 3rd. Mike Napoli led off with a home run (20) and Bobby Abreu doubled, but Lackey got Alberto Callaspo to ground out to limit the damage. In the 4th, Lackey got Torri Hunter to ground out but allowed a double to Hideki Matsui. Maicer Izturis grounded out to send Matsui to third then Howie Kendrick singled him home. Victor Martinez gunned down Kendrick at second base to end the inning and the threat.

In the bottom of the 4th, Bill Hall hit an absolute rocket (16) on to Lansdowne Street to tie the game. The tie was shortlived, in the top of the 5th Bobby Abreu singled and Reggie Willits singled with 2 outs. Alberto Callaspo then hit a ball down the right field line that would have been an easy 3rd out in most ballparks, however it had the distance to reach the seats in Fenway for a 3 run homer. Lackey had given up 10 hits and 5 earned runs in only 4 2/3 innings, the night seemed to be turning sour.

Then things changed just as fast. In the bottom of the 5th the Sox got 2 back when Victor Martinez doubled and Adrian Beltre swatted his 23rd homer of the year to cut the deficit 5-4. Just when it looked like Lackey was done, he came back to pitch a scoreless 6th and 7th inning. It was a great way to go out after a particular horrendous start.

Then it was on to the bottom of the 7th. With Kevin Jepsen pitching, Victor Martinez beat out a dribbler to 3rd then David Ortiz hit a double to left to put the tying run at third with nobody out. The microcosm of the night then occured when Adrian Beltre whiffed in what was then the most crucial at bat of the game. Mike Lowell then walked to load up the bases. Up came JD Drew, pinch hitting for Bill Hall. Jepsen then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Martinez, tying the game and putting Ortiz on third with Lowell on second. Drew was then intentionally walked to get to Darnell McDonald. The quick thinking Francona then sent Daniel Nava up to pinch hit for Darnell. Turns out he never had to take the bat off his shoulders as Jepsen hit him to give the Sox the lead. Then Ryan Kalish banged into a double play to end the rally, adding to the effect that they took the lead (walks to Lowell and Drew, wild pitch, hit batsmen) without having to swing the bat and failed (Beltre's strikeout, Kalish's DP) when they did.

It was on to the 8th where Daniel Bard came on, getting into trouble. Bard got Willits to flyed out but walked Callaspo. He got Torii Hunter to fly out but walked Matsui. Then the play of the game occured when Maicer Izturis hit a ball heading out of the range of Nava when he dove to make the catch, saving the game (and Bard's ERA). With Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury out for the season...once again the Sox will have to lead on the quartet of McDonald, Hall, Nava and Kalish.

The Sox added insurance in the 8th when Marco Scutaro doubled, Dustin Pedroia sacrificed him over to third and Martinez drove him in with a single. It was on to the 9th where Jon Papelbon slammed the door by striking out the side for his 30th save of the year. Final score, Sox win 7-5.

The Yankees and Rays also won keeping the Sox 5.5 behind in any sort of playoff position. Tomorrow Josh Beckett (3-2, 6.51 ERA) goes against Ervin Santana (12-8, 3.99) in the final game of the series.