Back Home, Red Sox Find Win Column
I’m sure BoSUX fans aren’t gonna let us live this down. Nice job on finally winning a game guys.
This was the 100th opener at Fenway Park, but the case could be made that the Red Sox were never as desperate for a win in the previous 99 as they were in this one. And in the end, that made Friday’s 9-6 victory over the Yankees one to savor.
After entering the season with World Series aspirations — something more than a few prognosticators agreed with — Boston had stumbled en route to an 0-6 start for the first time since 1945.
But with a packed house of Fenway fans at their back, the Red Sox broke out their bats, producing a double-digit hit attack that helped offset another subpar start by John Lackey.
On a day Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski threw out the first pitch, several of Boston’s current hitting stars came through with big performances.
Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz all came through with multihit games. Pedroia sparked the Red Sox early, driving in three runs over the first two innings.
Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who batted .077 on the road trip, came up with two hits as well, including a double that put the Red Sox ahead for good.
Despite giving up seven hits and six runs over five innings, Lackey got the win.
The bullpen did a fine job after his absence, silencing the Yankees over the final four innings.
For the second start in a row, it was clear in the early-going that Lackey didn’t have his best stuff. He opened the game by walking Brett Gardner. With two outs, Alex Rodriguez drew a walk. That set up Robinson Cano for a two-run double to center.
Unlike the futile road trip, the Red Sox had their best from the outset in this one. Pedroia hammered a solo homer in the bottom of the first against Phil Hughes, putting Boston within one.
But the Yankees got that run right back in the top of the second, as Lackey gave up a one-out double to Curtis Granderson and a two-out double to Gardner.
Read More: http://goo.gl/4i1Qk
(MLB)
You Might Also Like:
