BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Salty slams the Yankees in
another come-from-behind

September 13, 2013 ... In toight's 8-4 win over the Yankees, the author of the game's signature moment was Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who swatted a grand slam over the Red Sox bullpen with one out in the bottom of the seventh.  The shot by Saltalamacchia snapped a tie and set off roars throughout Fenway Park in the latest electric moment of a memorable season.

Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was given five days off this month because of inflammation in his lower back that affected everything about his game. Saltalamacchia had a hitless streak going and the soreness made it difficult for him to get off quick throws to the bases.   When Saltalamacchia announced that he felt better and wanted to play, manager John Farrell kept him out of the lineup an extra day just to make sure.  The time off helped. Saltalamacchia threw out three runners in the series against Tampa Bay this week and now the thunder is back in his bat. 

The Red Sox became the first team in the Majors to hit the 90-win mark this season. While Boston is in prime shape to win the AL East, every game is crucial to the Yankees, who are trailing by two games for the second AL Wild Card. This one was a crusher for manager Joe Girardi's team, considering they had just come all the way back from a 4-0 deficit.

By the time the seventh inning started, Boston was clinging to a 4-2 lead. After John Lackey gave up one-out singles to Brendan Ryan and Chris Stewart, Farrell pulled him at 82 pitches.  Craig Breslow came on and struck out Curtis Granderson, but he then walked Alex Rodriguez and gave up a game-tying two-run double to right-center to Robinson Cano.

The Red Sox then did what they do best -- turning the momentum back on their side.  Shane Victorino led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, and that was all for Hiroki Kuroda, who settled down nicely after a shaky start.  Lefty Cesar Cabral came on and plunked Ortiz. Righty Preston Claiborne was next out of the 'pen, and he walked Jonny Gomes to load them up. Daniel Nava struck out, giving the Yankees hope they could emerge from the threat unscathed.  Saltalamacchia had other ideas, crushing an 0-1 fastball into the bleachers.  After breaking out of an 0-for-21 drought, Saltalamacchia has homered the past two nights.  Salty had recently taken five games off to rest his ailing back.

Over 6 1/3 innings, Lackey gave up seven hits and four runs. He walked none and struck out three.  Though he ended up with a no-decision instead of a win, Lackey isn't concerned about individual stats.

The Yankees mounted a rally in the fourth when Cano led off with a single and Pedroia made a rare error on a grounder by Lyle Overbay. Pedroia made up for the miscue with a nice diving stop on a grounder by Ichiro Suzuki, and that got Lackey out of the inning.  The Yankees looked for a big hit that would get them back in the game. Cano came through with a one-out double in the sixth. Alfonso Soriano followed with a single to left, and Overbay's sacrifice fly made it a two-run game.  The Yankees would come all the way back, only to have the Red Sox deflate them.

There was a moment of silence before the game to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Haven Fyfe Kiernan, the widow of one of the victims, threw out the first pitch.

Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who has missed seven games with a fractured bone in his right foot, has started working out in preparation for a comeback. Manager John Farrell said that Ellsbury did some work in the pool at Fenway Park and light exercises in the trainer's room.  Dustin Pedroia's left the clubhouse with his left hand wrapped in a bandage after getting an anti-inflammatory shot. The second baseman has been playing with ligament damage in his left thumb since Opening Day.

By almost every statistical measure, Koji Uehara has been the best relief pitcher in the American League. In 67 appearances, the most of his career, Uehara has allowed 29 hits over 672/3 innings and struck out 94 against just nine walks, two them intentional.  Uehara has been perfect in his last 11 games, going 12 innings and retiring all 36 batters he has faced on only 142 pitches. Going back to Aug. 17, he has set down 37 consecutive batters. That's a Red Sox record and the longest streak for any reliever since Bobby Jenks of the White Sox retired 41 in a row in 2007.  Since he became the closer in late June, Uehara has allowed one earned run. One. He's also 4-0 with 19 saves and going back to July 5 has struck out 43 with one walk.

The Sox started their final homestand improving to 48-25 at Fenway Park. Only the Braves, at 51-21, have a better record at home. It's the most home wins for the Sox since the 2009 team was 56-25 at Fenway. The Sox won an embarrassing 34 games at home last season and only 45 in 2011.

Righthanded reliever Jose De La Torre, who was designated for assignment, was claimed off waivers by the Brewers.