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CODY ROSS |
A LOST YEAR WITH
BOBBY V ...
Cody Ross' walk-off homer
wins it for the Sox
July 19, 2012 ... He
shot for the moon with a pair of three-run homers in yesterday's rout
of the White Sox.
But tonight,
in the finale of this four-game series, Cody Ross reached for the stars,
clobbering another three-run homer and lifting the Red Sox to a dramatic 3-1
walk-off victory before a euphoric Fenway Park crowd of 38,413, the largest
turnout of the season.
After his
contributions in Wednesday's 10-1 romp, Ross was struck by a sense of deja vu
when he came up with one out in the bottom of the ninth. He drove a 1-and-1
pitch from right-handed reliever Addison Reed into the Green Monster seats to
erase a 1-0 deficit.
The Red Sox
were handcuffed by 23-year-old lefthander Jose Quintana, who threw eight
scoreless innings, allowing five hits while extricating himself from a
bases-loaded jam in the seventh. The Sox started their winning rally against
lefthanded reliever Matt Thornton. Carl Crawford led it off with a single to
right. Dustin Pedroia, playing in his first game since coming off the disabled
list (strained right thumb), then slapped a grounder to third that wiped out
Crawford at second on the force out. Pedroia, however, beat the relay to first.
Adrian Gonzalez then sent a single to right. White Sox manager Robin Ventura
summoned Reed to face Ross, who had Pedroia at second and pinch runner Nick
Punto at first.
Alfredo
Aceves got his first win of the season by throwing a scoreless ninth in relief
of starter Clay Buchholz, who held the White Sox to one run on six hits and one
walk over eight innings while striking out six. It was his second start since
coming off the disabled list July 14th.
The Red Sox
desperately needed their starter to keep the White Sox in check with Quintana
keeping them at bay. Making his 10th major league start and first against the
Red Sox, Quintana retired his first eight batters before Pedro Ciriaco, the Red
Sox' designated hitter du jour, tripled to center. Quintana, however,
extinguished the threat by ringing up his second strikeout of the inning,
retiring Jacoby Ellsbury on a foul tip.
The White
Sox took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when designated hitter Adam Dunn drew a
leadoff walk, Buchholz's first and only of the game. After he hoofed it to third
on Paul Konerko's sharp single to right, Dunn scored when Alex Rios lofted a
sacrifice fly to right. Buchholz buckled down and struck out A.J. Pierzynski and
induced Dayan Viciedo into a fielder's choice.
After
retiring 11 straight batters, Quintana gave up consecutive singles in the
seventh by Pedroia (to right), Gonzalez (to left), and Ross (to left) to load
the bases for Will Middlebrooks, who fought back from a 1-and-2 count to run it
full. Quintana dealt an 88- m.p.h. fastball that Middlebrooks slapped toward the
middle. But shortstop Alexei Ramirez made a diving stab to his left, rose to his
feet, and started a 6-4-3 double play that left the Red Sox empty-handed.
When the Red
Sox signed Ross during the offseason, most fans didn't anticipate the impact he
has made with 16 homers and 50 RBIs. |
