Before the game Jacoby Ellsbury was placed on the Disabled List with a dislocated shoulder. Usually that means he'll be out about two weeks to a month, not what the struggling Boston Red Sox need right now with Carl Crawford already out. Rifle armed 23 year old Che-Suan Lin was brought up from Pawtucket to take Ellsbury's place for the time being. Hopefully Lin can hit as well as he can throw.
The bad news was the Washington Capitals defeated the Boston Bruins in double overtime of Game 2 of their first round NHL playoff series. The good news was the Boston Red Sox knocked around the Tampa Bay Rays. After the Sox plastered the Rays yesterday in the Home Opener, today they picked up where they left off by clubbing five home runs as a team. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Mike Aviles and Cody Ross all went yard for the Sox as they bashed the Rays into submission. The Rays did manager to beat up Clay Buchholz (1-0, 9.82 ERA) for 4 runs in the first inning on a 3 run bomb by Luke Scott but hung on to go seven innings. Ortiz and Ross combined for 9 rbis against Jeremy Hellickson and the Tampa bullpen to put the game out of reach. This is what the offense is capable of with their heads on straight and they beat the Rays 13-5 at Fenway Park.
The Rays shelled Buchholz right off the bat in the top of the first as Desmond Jennings led off with a walk. Carlos Pena doubled to right to score Jennings and put the Sox behind in all eight games they've played so far. Evan Longoria grounded out to short and Matt Joyce struck out swinging, but Ben Zobrist walked. Luke Scott then hit a home run all the way to Argentina to increase the lead. Jeff Keppinger lined out to second to end the inning with the Rays up 4-0.
Hellickson got the ball in the bottom of the first and Mike Aviles led off with an infield single to first. Aviles got picked off and Dustin Pedroia flied out to right, but Adrian Gonzalez walked. Kevin Youkilis forced Gonzalez at second to end the inning.
Buchholz settled down in the top of the second as Jose Molina struck out swinging to start. Sean Rodriguez dropped a base hit to left but Jennings flied out to center. Rodriguez moved to second on a balk but Pena grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox offense woke up in the bottom of the second although David Ortiz grounded out to first to start. Cody Ross flied out to left but Ryan Sweeney walked. Jarrod Saltalamacchia smacked his first home run of the year to dead center to cut the lead. Darnell McDonald flied out to right to end the inning but the Sox were down 4-2.
The Rays answered in the top of the third as Longoria flied out to center to start. Joyce walked but Zobrist flied out to right. Scott doubled home Joyce to increase the lead but Keppinger grounded out to second to end the inning with the Rays up 5-2.
Scott does it again
Aviles flied out to center to start the bottom of the third but Pedroia smashed his second home run of the year over everything in left to cut the lead. Gonzalez grounded out to short and Youkilis grounded out to third to end the inning but the Sox were down 5-3.
Molina singled to right to start the top of the fourth and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rodriguez. Jennings flied out to right and Pena struck out swinging to end the inning. The Sox blew a rally in the bottom of the fourth as Ortiz dropped a base hit to right to start. Ross lined out to center but Sweeney doubled to center. Saltalamacchia flied out to left but McDonald walked to load the bases. Aviles flied out to right to end the inning.
Longoria took strike three to start the top of the fifth but Joyce singled in the hole at second. Zobrist flied out to left and Scott grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox struck again in the bottom of the fifth as Pedroia was rung up for strike three to start. Gonzalez popped up to third but Youkilis got a base hit to left. Ortiz then struck his first home run of the season into the Red Sox bullpen to tie the game. Ross flied out to left to end the inning with the game tied 5-5.
The Rays beat the ball in the dirt in the top of the sixth as Keppinger grounded out to third to start. Molina and Rodriguez both grounded out to short to end the inning. Burke Badenhop came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Sweeney took strike three to start. Saltalamacchia flied out to center and McDonald took strike three to end the inning.
Despite his early inning struggles, Buchholz returned for the top of the seventh inning. Jennings popped up to third, Pena grounded out to short and Longoria struck out swinging to end the inning. He allowed 5 early runs but battled to toss 7 innings.
The Sox took command in the bottom of the seventh as Aviles struck his first home run of the season into the Monster seats to put the Sox on top. Pedroia grounded out to short to chase Badenhop. JP Howell came in to pitch and Gonzalez doubled off the Monster. Youkilis walked and Ortiz singled to left to load the bases. Ross stepped up with a double off the Monster to score Gonzalez and Youkilis. Sweeney grounded out to second and Saltamacchia struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 8-5.
Franklin Morales took over for the top of the eighth inning and Elliot Johnson pinch hit for Joyce to start. Johnson struck out swinging, Zobrist grounded out to short and Scott grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the eighth with Dane De La Rosa now on the mound. McDonald walked and Aviles doubled to left before Pena misplayed a grounder by Pedroia for a "single" to load the bases. Gonzalez hit into a 4-2-3 double play but Youkilis walked to reload the bases. Ortiz doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and Ross smashed his first home run of the season over the Monster to wrap up the scoring. Sweeney grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox ahead 13-5.
Alfredo Aceves came in to mop the game up in the top of the ninth with Che-Suan Lin making his major league debut replacing Ross in center. Keppinger flied out to right to start and Molina struck out swinging. Rodriguez took strike three to end the game. The Sox had won it 13-5.
Sox win
Aviles The Hero
Ryan Sweeney was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Hero of the Night is Mike Aviles. His solo home run in the seventh inning put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 5 with a home run and 2 total runs scored.
Kevin Youkilis was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored.
David Ortiz was 4 for 5 with 5 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Cody Ross was 2 for 5 with 4 rbis and a run scored.
Darnell McDonald walked twice in four plate appearances.
Franklin Morales pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Alfredo Aceves pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Adrian Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Ryan Sweeney was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and scored a run.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but hit a 2 run homer.
Clay Buchholz allowed 5 runs but earned the win by going 7 innings. He allowed 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5.
Honorable Mention:
Che-Suan Lin made his ML debut by playing centerfield in the ninth
Final Thoughts:
The Sox bats showed up today and this is what they're capable of when they're firing on all cylinders. Once Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford come back, they should be virtually unstopabble. Ortiz and Ross drove in 9 runs and Aviles hit the big home run in the bottom of the seventh to put the Sox ahead. Aceves and Morales also stepped up to hold the Rays off after Buchholz left the game. The bottom line is the Sox early season struggles offensively should be over, now they just have to pitch better. Buchholz had a terrible start but hung on to go 7 innings but him, Jon Lester and Josh Beckett are the anchors of the rotation. They can't be giving up 4-5 runs a game or else even this offense can't bail them out every night. All in all it was a good win and hopefully the Sox can keep up the momentum in the next game. The Sox look to sweep the Rays tomorrow afternoon when Felix Doubront takes the mound opposite Matt Moore of the Rays. The game begins at 1:30 PM at Fenway Park.
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