Lester Outduels Peavy, Red Sox Edge White Sox (4/28/12)

After the Boston Red Sox defeated the Chicago White Sox by a combined score of 20-6 the past two nights, the monster match between aces Jon Lester (1-2, 4.65 ERA) and Jake Peavy pretty much meant runs were going to be at a premium. Sure enough only one run was scored during tonight's game but thankfully it was Boston that got it. Adrian Gonzalez drove in Ryan Sweeney in the top of the fourth inning and that was it for the game. Peavy heroically went the distance for Chicago while Lester shut down the White Sox for seven innings. The much maligned Red Sox bullpen got it done as the one-two punch of Franklin Morales and Vicente Padilla stoned the White Sox in the eighth inning and Alfredo Aceves slammed the door in the ninth. The Red Sox have now won six games in a row and three straight against Chicago with a 1-0 victory at Comiskey Park.

                                                   Bill Williamson approves of the win

Peavy got the ball in the top of the first and Mike Aviles led off with a grounder to third to start. Ryan Sweeney struck out swinging and Dustin Pedroia lined out to right to end the inning. Lester got the ball in the bottom of the first as Alejandro De Aza flied out to center to start. Alexei Ramirez struck out swinging but Adam Dunn drew a walk. Paul Konerko ripped a double to left that Ross bobbled...but Dunn didn't see it and stopped at third. That was a huge mistake as Alex Rios popped up to right to end the inning.

Adrian Gonzalez popped up to left to begin the top of the second before David Ortiz was frozen for strike three on a nasty curveball. Kevin Youkilis popped up to center to end the inning. Dayan Viciedo grounded out to short to start the bottom of the second before Tyler Flowers struck out swinging on a curve in the dirt. Brent Morel also struck out swinging to end the inning.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia led off the top of the third by striking out swinging and Cody Ross flied out to left. Marlon Byrd walked but Aviles waived at strike three to end the inning. The White Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the third as Gordan Beckham grounded out to second to start. De Aza also grounded out to second and Ramirez grounded out to short to end the inning.

The BoSox struck first in the top of the fourth as Sweeney broke his bat popping up to shallow right but Beckham failed to make the catch for a "double". Pedroia hit a weak liner to third but Gonzalez lined a base hit to right to score Sweeney. Ortiz flied out to left and Youkilis forced Gonzalez at second to end the inning with Boston ahead 1-0.

                                                     Sweeney scores a run

Dunn took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth before Byrd failed to catch a double by Konerko. Rios took a strike that should have been ball four before hitting a bullet....right to Byrd. Viciedo struck out swinging to end the inning.

Saltalamacchia struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Ross flied out to the left field fence. Byrd got a base hit to left but Aviles popped up to first in foul territory to end the inning. Flowers grounded out to first to start the bottom of the fifth before Morel drilled a base hit to center. Pedroia made a good running catch on a Beckham pop up and De Aza grounded out to third to end the inning.

Sweeney ripped a base hit to center to start the top of the sixth as White Sox analyst Steve Stone brought up how Andrew Bailey tore a thumb muscle two days before Spring Training ended. Pedroia beat out a double play ball but Gonzalez flied out to right. Ortiz popped up to right to end the inning. Ramirez popped up to Pedroia to start the bottom of the sixth. Pedroia made a great snag to rob Dunn of a hit before Konerko struck out swinging to end the inning.

The BoSox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Youkilis grounded back to the mound to begin. Saltalamacchia popped up to third in foul territory and Ross flied out to Viciedo in foul territory to end the inning. Lester returned for one final inning in the bottom of the seventh as Rios took strike three to start. Viciedo hit a roller just inside the third base bag for a hit and Aviles airmailed Pedroia on a grounder by Flowers for a "single". Lester recovered to get Morel to force Viciedo at second and Beckham to force Morel to end the inning. Lester was outstanding, tossing 7 innings of shutout ball allowing just 5 hits and a walk while striking out seven.

                                                        Good work by Lester

Byrd flied out to center to start the top of the eighth before Aviles also flied out to center. Sweeney took strike three to end the inning. Franklin Morales came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and De Aza popped up to short to start. Ramirez ripped a base hit to center but Dunn struck out swinging. That was it for Morales as Sox manager Bobby Valentine wanted Vicente Padilla to pitch to Konerko. Paul walked but Rios grounded out to second to end the inning.

Peavy returned to finish his outing in the top of the ninth and Pedroia struck out swinging to start. Gonzalez flied out to right and Ortiz popped up to short to end the inning. Peavy was outstanding but made just one mistake to Gonzalez. Alfredo Aceves came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Viciedo grounded out to second to start. Kosuke Fukudome pinch hit for Flowers and grounded back to the mound and the pain in the ass AJ Pierzynski pinch hit for Morel. AJ struck out swinging to end the game. The BoSox had won it 1-0.

                                                                   Sox win

Hero of the Night is Jon Lester. He tossed 7 shutout innings to keep the White Sox off the board. He allowed 5 hits and a walk while striking out 7.

                                                               Hero Lester

The Good:

Ryan Sweeney was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Marlon Byrd was 1 for 2 with a walk.

Franklin Morales got the first two outs of the eighth inning.

Vicente Padilla got the final out of the eighth inning.

Alfredo Aceves earned his fifth save with a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bad:

Mike Aviles was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

David Ortiz was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.

Kevin Youkilis was 0 for 3.

Jarrod Salatalamacchia was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.

Cody Ross was 0 for 3.

The Ugly:

Adrian Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.

Final Thoughts:

After scoring 20 runs the last two nights, a let down was inevitable. Thank goodness Jon Lester was up to the task when Jake Peavy stoned the offense cold. Even more impressive was the trio of Morales, Padilla and Aceves got the job done tonight. White Sox broadcasters Steve Stone and Ken Harrelson was saying how bad the Red Sox bullpen is this entire series but tonight the bullpen delivered. Not only that, Marlon Byrd has been what the doctor ordered after Jason Repko couldn't hit a ball off a tee for two weeks after Jacoby Ellsbury got hurt. Ellsbury and Carl Crawford won't be back for a while so hopefully Byrd can bridge the gap until one of them return. Lester didn't give an inch tonight with runs at a premium so hats off on them taking a close, one run game. The BoSox look to make it seven wins in a row and a series sweep of the White Sox tomorrow afternoon when Josh Beckett (2-2) takes on Gavin Floyd of the White Sox. The game begins at 2:20 PM eastern time at Comiskey Park.