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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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BOSTON STRONG - May 27, 2013 ... Alfredo Aceves took a big step back toward being a pitcher the Red Sox can rely on when he fired six strong innings en route to a 9-3 victory over the Phillies at Fenway Park. Before tonight, the last time Aceves started for the Red Sox was April 23 against Oakland, and it was a disaster. The righty plodded along and seemed to lack focus, giving up eight runs over 3 1/3 innings. Without question, Aceves looked focused and determined while holding the Phillies to a run on seven hits. He walked three and struck out four during his 93-pitch outing. While Aceves was the story from the mound, the Sox had several contributors on offense. Dustin Pedroia homered, walked, and started two double plays Monday night, leading the Sox to a 9-3 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies before a crowd of 33,627 at Fenway Park. Jacoby Ellsbury had a three-hit game from the top of the order. The performance followed the leadoff man's walk-off hit on Sunday, and served as another sign that Ellsbury might be ready to get in a groove after spending most of May in a slump. Mike Napoli was a force from the No. 5 spot in the order, drilling a solo homer to right-center and belting an RBI double. Stephen Drew (2-for-3, two RBIs) and Saltalamacchia (2-for-4) also both played key roles. Then there is Dustin Pedroia. The sparkplug second baseman made a tremendous stab on a John Mayberry rocket in the second to start a double play. In the first, he hit a two-run homer. By the seventh, Pedroia, Boston's only player to start all 52 games thus far, even got to put his feet up for a bit, as Farrell gave him a rare rest. With five wins in their last six games, the Red Sox moved back into sole possession of first place in the American League East for the first time since May 7. Boston had the bats going from the outset against Phillies starter Tyler Cloyd. With one out in the bottom of the first, Pedroia curled a two-run homer around Pesky's Pole in right. Napoli followed by clocking a solo shot over the Boston bullpen in right-center to give Aceves a 3-0 lead. The Phillies got one back in the top of the third on a solo homer to right by Erik Kratz. Back came the Boston bats in the bottom of the third. David Ortiz opened with a double to center and Napoli smacked an RBI ground-rule double to right. Drew followed by drilling an RBI single. Following a single to right by Saltalamacchia, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel took Cloyd out of the game. Michael Stutes came on and got Jose Iglesias on a popout, but Ellsbury ripped a double down the line in left to make it a 6-1 game. The Phillies at least got out of the inning on that hit, as left fielder Domonic Brown relayed to shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who fired home to nail Saltalamacchia. The Sox again rallied in the fifth, as Saltalamacchia drilled a single that brought two runs home, the second of which came courtesy of a fielding effort by right fielder Mayberry. Aceves gave the Red Sox as good as performance as they could have hoped. Aceves had six strong innings. He allowed one run on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The Phillies had runners on base in every inning against Aceves but were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position when he was on the mound. Players from both teams and the umpires wore Memorial Day caps featuring US Marine Corps digital military camouflage. The players' jerseys featured the same pattern on the team logos. Proceeds from sales of the caps and jerseys will be donated to the Welcome Back Veterans organization. The Sox before the game also recognized 30 employees who are veterans. The group included Charlie Laubenstein of Gloucester, a submariner in World War II, and several other combat veterans. Navy Rear Admiral Victor M. Beck and five Gold Star Wives threw out first pitches to Red Sox players. Gold Star Wives are women whose husbands died on active duty or as a result of military service. Jennifer Underwood (Belchertown), Lori Loiselle (Southampton), Susan Bray (Holyoke), Najla Purcell (Lawrence), and Irene Finneral (Lowell) also received flowers from the team. Finneral's husband and son were killed in action. The colors were presented by VFW Post 2902 of West Roxbury. With service members from Hanscom Air Force Base attending to the giant American flag on the left-field wall, Sgt. First Class Michelle Lowes of the New Hampshire Army National Guard performed the national anthem. After the fourth inning, Sgt. First Class Anne M. Brown of Worcester was introduced. She recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. |
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