The Red Sox keep it rolling with
another series win and have racked up the most wins in the Majors, 68, with 49
games left in the season. This team has
a grind-it-out approach that just keeps on working as they completed their 23rd
series win of the season, the best in the majors.
Lefty Felix Doubront was
excellent firing 7 shutout innings, allowing only 5 hits while walking none and
striking out 5. It was the 15th
straight time he’s let up 3 earned runs or less and 19th of 20 on
the season. Most importantly he kept his
pitch count down again and needed only 95 pitches to get through his 7 innings.
The bullpen did their work as
they allowed only 3 hits the rest of the game while striking out 2. Matt Thornton, Drake Britton and Koji Uehara
shut the door on the D-backs for the rest of the game.
Shane Victorino, who embodies the toughness of the 2013 Red Sox, banged into the wall in pursuit of a foul ball that was just out of his reach early in the game. Instead of coming out of the game, he just hit right-handed for the rest of the game and was on base 4 times, getting hit by 2 pitches and belting a pair of singles. It was revealed that it was his left hip that was banged up but it was nice to see him stay in the game and contribute.
Victorino ended up going 2 for 3
with an RBI and was on base 4 times.
Jacoby Ellsbury went 1 for 4 with 2 RBI and Dustin Pedroia went 1 for 3
with an RBI and 2 walks. Stephen Drew,
who’s been red hot lately, went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and a walk. Salty, Brock Holt and Mike Carp each chipped
in with hits as well. The Sox walked 6
times on the afternoon with Big Papi getting on once with a walk.
It wasn’t all good times for the
offense though as Mike Napoli went 0 for 5 with 3 strikeouts and the team was
just 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position and they left 13 men on
base. This game should have been a
blowout with all the runners in scoring position but the Sox just couldn’t get
them in.
Good thing that Felix was on and
the Sox need to figure out how to get some clutch hits. Sooner or later the luck is going to run out
and leaving men on base will come back to bite them.
The Sox travel to Houston to
start a 3 game series against the Astros tonight. It would be nice to beat up on the lowly
Astros and get a lead in the AL East as the Rays are keeping pace at only 1
game back.
John Lackey (7-8, 3.23) will take
the mound for the Sox coming off a rough outing in his last start. He’ll look to rebound as the Astros will send
Brett Oberholtzer (1-0, 3.77) to the mound.
Oberholtzer was mainly a bullpen guy but got his first start last week
and was impressive. He beat the Orioles
going 7 shut-out innings giving up just 3 hits and 0 walks with 6 strikeouts.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Felix Doubront who went 7
shut-out innings to get his 8th win of the season. He’s been
consistent as of late and a huge cog in the engine for the 2013 Red Sox.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Mike Napoli. Napoli has gone cold again and took an 0 for
5 with 3 strikeouts in the game.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Shane Victorino’s RBI single in
the bottom of the 6th to put the Sox up 4-0 and with Doubront
pitching masterfully, it would be all they need.
NEXT
Monday, August 5th in Houston vs.
the Astros.
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