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BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Ellsbury's four hits pace the
Sox over Kansas City
August 10, 2013 ...
Jacoby Ellsbury entered tonight's game against the Royals with a .381 batting average against Jeremy Guthrie and that statistical trend continues to hold up quite well. Ellsbury held true to form and then some by going 4-for-4 against Guthrie and 4-for-5 overall as the Red Sox held off Kansas City for a 5-3 win at Kauffman Stadium. Ellsbury is
up to .435 (20-for-46) against Guthrie and that's Ellsbury's best average against any pitcher when he has had a minimum of 25 at-bats.
Ellsbury had two doubles, two singles, two RBIs, a steal and a sliding catch in a dazzling display that helped Boston snap a two-game slide and positioned the Red Sox to go for a split in the four-game series on Sunday.
The Red Sox burst to a 4-0 lead in the fourth with recently recalled Will Middlebrooks contributing a two-run single and Ellsbury adding an RBI double to highlight the offense. When Iglesias was traded July 30, the Red Sox left Middlebrooks in Pawtucket and
used bench players Brock Holt and Brandon Snyder in a platoon at third base. They also mentioned, frequently, the possibility of using 20-year-old Triple A shortstop Xander Bogaerts at third. Middlebrooks responded by making adjustments at the plate that led
to him going 12 for 38 (.316) over a 10-game stretch with an .857 OPS. That earned him a promotion.
But Boston starter Felix Doubront struggled with his command and the Royals came charging hard in the fifth. Kansas City scored three and had runners at second and third with one
out when reliever Brandon Workman wiggled out of trouble and preserved the lead by getting Mike Moustakas on a
popup and then fanning Brett Hayes. Middlebrooks and Ellsbury teamed up again in the sixth for an insurance run as Middlebrooks beat out an infield chopper with two outs and scored
on Ellsbury's double to left-center.
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KOJI UEHARA |
Beginning with Workman's escape in the fifth, the Boston bullpen came up huge. Craig Breslow handled the sixth,
Junichi Tazawa threw two scoreless innings and Koji Uehara worked a clean ninth for his 12th save. Uehara has not allowed a run over 16 innings. In his last 28 appearances,
the 38-year-old righthander has given up one earned run on 10 hits over 29 innings with three walks and 40 strikeouts. Opponents are 10 of their last 96 against him. Uehara has appeared in 54 games. His next appearance will trigger a clause guaranteeing his
contract for next season.
By going 2-for-4 with two RBIs on the day he was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, Middlebrooks made an impression on his manager. The two-run single by Middlebrooks in the fourth was an opposite field poke to right. Not exactly a screaming liner, but an important
hit for a variety of reasons.
The Red Sox (71-48) upped their lead over Tampa Bay to three games in the American League East while Kansas City (60-54) was slowed following a 17-4 surge since the All-Star break.
Brandon Snyder was placed on the 15-day disabled list with what the team said was "right elbow ulnar neuritis." The Red Sox activated lefthander Franklin Morales off the 15-day disabled list. He had been out since June 23 with a strained pectoral muscle.
Righthander Pedro Beato was optioned to Pawtucket to make room for Morales. David Ross started his rehabilitation assignment with Double A Portland by going 0 for 2 with an RBI. Ross has been on the disabled list since June 15 because of concussions. |
