The Red Sox are over .500 for the
first time since April 4th as they down the Rangers 5-2 in the
series finale and take the series win.
Staked with an early lead, John
Lackey pitched another great game going 7 strong innings allowing only 2 runs
on 7 hits while striking out 9 and walking none. He’s been pitching with a lot of command this
year and has pounded the strike zone in all of his starts. 75 of his 105 pitches were strikes. He worked with a really good pace and was
ahead in the count on most of the Ranger hitters.
In Lackey’s last 4 starts, he’s
been a strikeout machine, fanning 29 batters in 29 innings. It has been quite a successive string of
outings for Lackey and the Boston starters as of late.
The bullpen shut down the Rangers
when Lackey left as Andrew Miller went the 8th and struck out 2 of
the 4 batters he faced. Koji Uehara
earned his 9th save of the year by striking out 2 of the 3 batters
he faced.
Offensively the Sox started fast,
scoring 4 runs in the first 2 innings but weren’t able to get anything else except
for an insurance run in the 7th.
Dustin Pedroia went 2 for 4 with
2 runs, an RBI, a walk, a double (his 14th) and his 2nd
homer of the season. David Ortiz went 1
for 3 with a run scored and a run. Mike
Napoli went 1 for 4 with a run scored, RBI and a double. A.J. Pierzynski went 1 for 4 with 2 RBI and
Jackie Bradley Jr. went 1 for 4 with his 10th double of the year.
Jonny Gomes and Xander Bogaerts
each had a hit as well in the win. Shane
Victorino went 0 for 3 but drove in a run and Jonathan Herrera went 0 for 3 but
had another sacrifice bunt.
Overall they had 5 runs on 8 hits
while going 2 for 6 with runners in scoring position and left 5 men on base.
They are now above .500 and only
2 games out of first. They’ll have an
off day on Monday then head to Minnesota to play the Twins. The Twins are not very good this year and the
Sox could use a sweep right here and get on a run coming back home.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Dustin Pedroia. Pedey went 2 for 4 out of the leadoff spot
and added his 2nd homer of the year and his 14th double
of the season.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Jonathan Herrera. Herrera moved a runner over with a sacrifice hit
but also went 0 for 3 at the dish with a strikeout. I haven’t seen much from Herrera with the bat
this year as he’s down to .184 on the season.
PLAY OF THE GAME
A.J. Pierzynski’s 2-run single in
the top of the 1st to start the Sox off on the right foot with a 3-0
lead.
NEXT
Tuesday, May 13th in Minnesota vs. the
Twins.
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