Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Che-Suan Lin was sent down to Pawtucket in favor of 31 year old Jason Repko and Nate Spears. Sox brass didn't want to waste Lin on the bench and would rather have him play every day in Pawtucket. Repko started his rookie year with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005 but hasn't done much since.
Doubront got the ball in the top of the first inning and Desmond Jennings took strike three to open the game. Carlos Pena took strike three but Evan Longoria walked. Jeff Keppinger popped up to short to end the inning. Moore got the ball in the bottom of the first and Mike Aviles led off with a swinging strikeout. Dustin Pedroia popped up to short and Adrian Gonzalez lined out to center to end the inning.
Ben Zobrist struck out swinging to open the top of the second before Luke Scott hit one up the elevator shaft. Sean Rodiguez lined out to second to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the second as Kevin Youkilis singled to left to start. David Ortiz doubled to right and Cody Ross smashed a 3 run home run over the Monster Seats to put the Sox on top. Darnell McDonald grounded out to third, Kelly Shoppach popped up to third and Jason Repko made his Sox debut by popping up to short to end the inning with the Sox up 3-0.
Matt Joyce singled to right to start the top of the third but Chris Gimenez flied out to center. Jennings hit a ground rule double into the bullpen but Pena struck out swinging. Longoria grounded out to third to end the inning. Aviles grounded out to second to start the bottom of the third but Pedroia grounded out to third. Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Keppinger hit a ground rule double into the right to start the top of the fourth but Zobrist lined out to third. Scott struck out swinging but Rodriguez singled in the hole at short. Keppinger tried to score from second but was thrown out at home to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fourth as Youkilis struck out swinging to start. Ortiz singled up the first base line and Ross walked, but McDonald struck out swinging. Shoppach ripped a double to left that scored Ortiz but Ross was thrown out at home to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.
Yerrrrr out!
Doubront lost it in the top of the fifth although Joyce took strike three to start. Gimenez singled in the hole at third and Jennings singled to left before Pena doubled to right to score both of them. Longoria hit a ground rule double into the right field stands to score Pena but Keppinger flied out to center. A wild pitch moved Longoria to third but Zobrist took strike three to end the inning with the Rays down 4-3.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the fifth as Repko took strike three to begin. Aviles flied out to center and Pedroia grounded out to short to end the inning.
Doubront returned for the top of the sixth briefly only to give up the tying home run to Scott. Doubront fell apart in the fifth inning as he was charged with 4 runs in just 5 plus innings. Scott Atchison came in and Rodriguez singled in the hole before Joyce walked. Gimenez bunted foul for strike three and that was it for Atchison. Vicente Padilla came in and struck out Jennings swinging before getting Pena to fly out to right to end the inning with the game tied 4-4.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the sixth although Gonzalez grounded out to first to start. Youkilis walked and came all the way around to score on the double to center by Ortiz to put Boston back on top. Ross was intentionally walked and both runners moved over on the grounder to first by McDonald. Shoppach was intentionally walked to load the bases but Repko flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-4.
Padilla returned for the top of the seventh and Longoria flied out to center to start. Keppinger beat out an infield single to short but Gonzalez fielded a ball stuck by Zobrist off of Padilla to get Jeff at second. Scott struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox got a big insurance run when Aviles clocked his second home run of the year to start the bottom of the seventh. Pedroia flied out to left but Gonzalez singled to left to chase Moore. Joel Peralta came in and got Youkilis to fly out to right before Ortiz grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-4.
Franklin Morales came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Rodriguez popped up to first to start. Jose Molina pinch hit for Joyce and got a base hit to left. Gimenez also singled to left but Jennings flied out to left and Pena grounded out to short to end the inning. Fernando Rodney came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Ross struck out swinging to start. McDonald flied out to center and Shoppach flied out to left to end the inning.
Alfredo Aceves came in to close out the top of the ninth and Longoria flied out to right to start. Keppinger lined out to center and Zobrist struck out swinging to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-4.
Hero of the Night is David Ortiz. His rbi double in the sixth was the go-ahead rbi.
The Good:
Kevin Youkilis was 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Cody Ross was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and a 3 run homer.
Kelly Shoppach was 1 for 3 with a walk and an rbi.
Scott Atchison got the first out of the sixth inning.
Vicente Padilla got the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Franklin Morales pitched a scoreless inning.
Alfredo Aceves got the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jason Repko was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Darnell McDonald was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4.
Felix Doubront allowed 4 runs in 5 plus innings.
The Ugly:
Mike Aviles was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but the one hit was a home run.
Adrian Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Final Thoughts:
This was an encouraging win because it showed the Sox ability to pull away late and slam the door. The bullpen has given games away late and the bats have been unable to fight back when trailing or tied. This is what the Sox are capable of when everyone is contributing. The only drawback to today was Felix Doubront be he's still young enough to figure it out. Jon Lester threw way too many pitches in 2006 and 2007 but figured it out eventually. Beating a team like the Rays three straight is tough and its a good thing Ross, Ortiz and Youkilis came to play. If the Sox want to erase the stigma of last year then they need to keep the momentum as they go for the series sweep tomorrow morning against the Rays on the special Patriots Day matinee. Daniel Bard (0-1) gets the start against Rays ace James Shields. The game begins at 11:00 AM at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment