For eight innings it looked like the Boston Red Sox were headed to their fourth straight defeat to start the season. Henderson Alvarez the 3rd held the Sox to one measly run through six innings of work. Felix Doubront lasted just 5 innings and left trailing 2-1. In the top of the ninth Adrian Gonzalez tied the game with a sac fly and Ryan Sweeney knocked in the go-ahead run and the Sox got an insurance run on a wild pitch. Alfredo Aceves locked down the game in the bottom of the ninth and the Sox had won their first game of the season 4-2 at the Skydome.
Alvarez got the ball to start the top of the first and Jacoby Ellsbury grounded out to first to start. Dustin Pedroia grounded out to third and Adrian Gonzalez struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt to end the inning. Doubront got the ball in the bottom of the first and Yunel Escobar lined out to center to start. Kelly Johnson drew a walk but Jose Bautista banged into a double play to end the inning.
Kevin Youkilis grounded out to short to start the tip of the second but David Ortiz dropped a base hit to left. Cody Ross banged into a double play to end the inning. Edwin Encarnacion lined out to right to start the bottom of the second before Adam Lind was rung up for strike three on a check swing in the dirt. Brett Lawrie chopped a base hit to left but Rajai Davis popped up to center to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the third as Ryan Sweeney grounded out to third to start. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was robbed of a single by a diving Colby Rasmus and Mike Avilies fell down while striking out swinging to end the inning. The Jays struck first in the bottom of the third as JP Arencibia took a curveball for strike three to start. Rasmus then chopped a triple to the right field wall and Escobar walked to put runners at the corners. Johnson grounded back to the mound but Rasmus beat the throw home to give the Jays the lead. Bautista flied out to right but Encarnacion dumped a base hit to left to score Escobar. Lind grounded out to second to end the inning but the Jays led 2-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as Ellsbury flied out to left to start. Pedroia flied out to center but Gonzalez worked a walk. Youkilis grounded out to third to end the inning. Doubront struck out Lawrie on an 88 mph fastball to start the bottom of the fourth before Davis went down hacking at a curveball. Arencibia walked but Rasmus grounded out to first to end the inning.
Ortiz grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth but Ross ripped a base hit to center. Sweeney pounded a ground rule double into the left field stands but Saltalamacchia grounded out to first. Avilies grounded out to third to end the inning. Escobar went down hacking to begin the bottom of the fifth but Johnson ripped a base hit up the middle. Bautista popped up to third in foul territory and Encarnacion took a 92 mph fastball down the middle for strike three to end the inning. That was it for Doubront who gutted through 5 innings, allowed 2 runs and struck out 6 in 101 pitches.
The Sox got a run back in the top of the sixth although Ellsbury grounded back to the mound to start. Pedroia absolutely hammered his first home run of the season to the upper deck in left to cut the lead. Gonzalez grounded out to second and Youkilis flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox down 1-1.
Scott Atchison came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Lind went down hacking to start. Lawrie also went down swinging and Eric Thames pinch hit for Davis only to ground out to first to end the inning.
Old friend Darren Oliver came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Ortiz dropped another base hit to left to start. Ross struck out swinging and Ortiz was foolishly gunned down trying to steal second on a possible blown hit and run call. Sweeney struck out swinging to end the inning. Atchison returned for the bottom of the seventh and Arencibia grounded out to second to start. Rasmus flied out to center but Escobar beat out a grounder to third. Johnson grounded out to second to end the inning.
Francisco Cordero came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Saltalamacchia went down hacking to start. Avilies grounded out to first and Lind made a great diving catch to rob Ellsbury of a sure triple to end the inning. Atchison returned for his third inning of work in the bottom of the eighth and Bautista flied out to right to start. Encarnacion grounded out to short and Lind struck out swinging to end the inning. Great job by Scott to keep the Sox within striking distance.
Things looked bleak as Sergio Santos came in to close out the top of the ninth but Pedroia ripped a double into the left field corner to start. A passed ball moved Pedroia to third and he scored on the sac fly by Gonzalez to tie the game. Youkilis went down hacking but Ortiz and Ross drew back to back walks. Darnell McDonald ran for Ortiz and Sweeney chopped a base hit to right. McDonald motored around to score the go-ahead run as the ball got away from Arencibia at the plate. Ross moved to third on the play and he scored on a wild pitch. Sweeney moved to third on the wild pitch and Saltalamacchia walked to chase Santos. Luis Perez came in to pitch and Avilies forced Salty at second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-2.
Alfredo Aceves came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Lawrie grounded out to short to start. Thames went down hacking and Arencibia grounded out to short to end the game. The Sox had their first win of the season 4-2 over the Blue Jays.
Hero of the Night is Scott Atchison. His 3 scoreless innings kept the Sox in the game to post the big comeback in the ninth.
The Good:
Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 total runs scored.
David Ortiz was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Darnell McDonald scored a run as a pinch runner.
Cody Ross was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Ryan Sweeney was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Felix Doubront tossed 5 innings of 2 run ball while striking out 6 batters.
Alfredo Aceves earned his first save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 0 for 4.
Kevin Youkilis was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Mike Avilies was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Adrian Gonzalez was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked and drove in a run.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Final Thoughts:
So that's what winning felt like? After the September collapse of last season and getting stomped by the Detroit Tigers to open this season, it felt like the Sox would never win again. For eight innings it looked like another loss but the Sox turned it on in the ninth inning to come away with the win. Kudos to Atchison to keep them in the game and the hustling Sox advanced on passed balls, wild pitches and guile to take the lead. The Sox offense will come around when the weather heats up but for now they have to scratch and claw for every run they can. Its just a matter of time before Gonzalez, Youkilis, Ortiz and Ellsbury get hot. Let's just hope Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Josh Beckett can stay in shape this year. All in all it was a good win and hopefully they can ride the momentum into tomorrow night's game. Daniel Bard makes his first start of the season against Kyle Drabek of the Jays at 7:05 PM at the Skydome.
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