Aceves got the ball in the top of the first and Ben Revere grounded out to second to start. Michael Young grounded back to the mound but Jimmy Rollins pounded a ground rule double. Ryan Howard whiffed to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the inning. Jacoby Ellsbury singled off starter Tyler Cloyd and advanced to second on the ground out by Daniel Nava. Dustin Pedroia hit a cheap 300 foot home run to right to give the Sox the lead lead. David Ortiz whiffed but Mike Napoli hit a much further home run over the bullpen to increase the lead. Stephen "PU" Drew walked but Mike Carp flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-0.
Delmon Young grounded out to short to begin the top of the second inning. Domonic Brown hit a routine ground ball to Aceves who dropped a leg on it and laid on top of it for a pinfall attempt, being charged with an error. Aceves redeemed himself by inducing John Mayberry Jr to hit into an inning ending double play.
Cloyd settled down in the top of the second as Jarrod Saltalamacchia flied out to left to begin. Jose Iglesias singled and Ellsbury hit a ground rule double but they were stranded when Nava lined out to left. Pedroia flied out to right to end the inning.
The lone blemish against Aceves came in the top of the third. Freddy Galvis whiffed but Erik Kratz smashed a 1 out home run that cut the lead. Revere walked but was doubled off first on a line drive hit by Young to center, ending the inning.
That's as close as Philly got as the Sox put the game away in the bottom of the third. Ortiz hit a lead off double and Napoli drove him home with a ground rule double. PU Drew singled home Napoli to extend the lead. Carp struck out but Saltalamacchia singled to chase Cloyd. Michael Stutes came on in relief and got Iglesias to pop up to first. Ellsbury hit a double that scored Drew but Saltalamacchia was stupidly thrown out at home to end the inning with the Sox ahead 6-1
Aceves returned to the mound in the top of the fourth inning and allowed a leadoff single to Rollins. Howard grounded into a double play but Young singled. Brown popped up to second to end the inning. Stutes cruised in the bottom of the fourth as Nava grounded out to first, Pedroia grounded out to second and Ortiz flied out to center to end the inning.
The Phillies threatened in the top of the fifth inning as Mayberry singled to start. Galvis flied out to left and Kratz struck out, but Revere singled Mayberry to third With a threat mounting, Aceves snared a line drive off the bat of Young to effectively end the game.
The Sox added some more insurance in the bottom of the 5th. Napoli whiffed but PU Drew singled and Carp doubled him over to third. Saltalamacchia singled home Drew and Carp scored on an error by Mayberry Jr. Iglesias whiffed and Jeremy Horst came on to pitch to Ellsbury. Jacoby grounded out to third but it was 8-1 Sox.
The Phillies had one last chance to do damage trailing 8-1 in the top of the 6th. Rollins walked and Howard singled him over to third. Aceves got a huge strikeout of Young and a pop up to third by Brown before walking Mayberry. With the bases loaded, Freddy Galvis lined out to end the threat. It was like Aceves chucked a bowling ball into the guts of the Phillies and their fans...like this:
The Sox failed to score in the bottom of the 6th as Nava whiffed to start. Pedroia walked and Pedro Ciriaco pinch ran for him. Ortiz singled but both Napoli and PU Drew watched strike three go by to end the inning.
Clayton "Vigo" Mortensen replaced Vulture for the top of the 7th and walked Kratz to start. Revere lined out to center and Young lined out to second. Rollins grounded out to second to end the inning. Antonio Bastardo came out for the bottom of the seventh and Carp hit one up the elevator shaft to begin. Saltalamacchia flied out to left and Iglesias popped up to second to end the inning.
Mortensen came back for the top of the eighth and Howard doubled to begin. Howard was thrown out at third on a ground ball by Young and that was it for Mortensen. Andrew Miller relieved Mortensen and immediately served up a 2 run homer to Brown to cut into the lead. Mayberry beat out an infield single to second but was erased on the force by Galvis. Kratz whiffed to end the inning but it was now 8-3.
The Sox answered in the bottom of the 8th with Mike Adams on the mound. Ellsbury grounded out to first and Nava whiffed, but Ciriaco singled. Ortiz and Napoli walked to load the bases before Drew walked to score Ciraco. Justin De Fratus replaced the wild Adams to retire Carp on a ground out to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-3.
Miller got the call to end the top of the ninth but ran into trouble when Revere singled. He recovered to get Young to fly out to center. Miller struck out Rollins and Howard to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-3.
Her of the Night is Alfredo "The Vulture" Aceves. Aceves was outstanding with 6 innings of 1 run, 4 strikeout ball, getting key outs when needed.
The Good:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 3 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Dustin Pedroia was 1 for 3 with a walk and a 2 run home run.
Pedro Ciriaco singled and scored as a pinch hitter.
David Ortiz was 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.
Mike Napoli was 2 for 4 with a walk, 2 rbi's and 2 runs scored including a solo home run.
Stephen Drew was 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
The Bad:
Daniel Nava was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.\
The Ugly:
Mike Carp was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Jose Iglesias was just 1 for 4.
Clayton Mortensen gave up a run in 1 1/3 innings.
Andrew Miller gave up a run in 1 2/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
Hard to believe but the Sox are back in first place. It was a good win and redemption for Vulture who looked like he was going to be unconditionally released following his last disasterous outing against Oakland. Unfortunately for the pitching staff, someone's got to go. Franklin Morales is back and either Mortensen, Miller, Aceves or Wilson has to go. All signs point to Aceves going back to Triple A but at least he'll go down on a much higher note than last time he left. It was a good win and encouraging to see the bats wake up, especially those of Ciriaco and Drew who knows Iglesias is young and hungry. A slip up by either veteran means their days are numbered. The win put the Sox at 32-20 and the Yankees loss puts the Sox alone in first.The Sox look to stay in first place but will have to work for it as Ryan Dempster goes up against superstar Cliff Lee tomorrow night at 7:05 PM at Fenway Park.
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