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BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
Eight run inning snaps the Sox skid
May 15, 2013 ...
An eight-run uprising in the third inning, which included four straight knocks with runners in scoring position, took the weight of a team hitting slump off the shoulders of the Sox, who rolled to a 9-2 victory over the Rays. The biggest hit of the
night came later in that inning, after the four straight hits. It was a grand slam off the bat of Stephen Drew, which gave ace Jon Lester (6-0, 2.72 ERA) an 8-0 cushion.
The offensive outburst could not have come at a better time. Not only had the Sox stopped hitting of late, but they had stopped winning, coming into the game with nine losses in the past 11 games. When Dustin Pedroia stepped up with two
on and one out in the third, Boston had been in a 5-for-43 skid in the RISP department. Pedroia, who has long had a habit of getting a hit when his team truly needs one, looped an RBI single into right to make it a 1-0 game. David Ortiz stepped up next
and he cranked an RBI single to left. Following that hit, Rays ace David Price exited with left triceps tightness.
Reliever Jamey Wright had as much time as he needed to warm up, but it wasn't enough. Not against the suddenly resurgent Boston bats. Mike Napoli greeted Wright with a double to right-center. Jonny Gomes followed with an RBI single up
the middle. After a flyout by Middlebrooks, Jarrod Saltalamacchia drew a walk to load the bases. Then it was Drew's turn to hit, and he belted Wright's 1-1 cutter over the wall in right-center field for his second career slam. It was Drew who started the
rally with a leadoff walk against Price.
From there, Lester cruised to remain unbeaten in his first nine starts. The lefty scattered eight hits and two runs over seven innings. He walked none and struck out five.
In the eighth, Middlebrooks mashed his seventh homer of the season, a solo shot to right. The third baseman had two hits on the night offering a sign that perhaps he's ready to break out of a slump that has lingered for more than a month. |
