Gone-zo! Adrian Powers Sox Over Rangers (80-50)

Last night, the Sox played a very good game all around, hitting well and stifling the Rangers in a 6-0 win. In the 1st inning, with 2 outs, Adrian Gonzalez took a low fastball to center field for his first home run of the game. An inning later, David Ortiz took a low and inside fastball, and crushed it to dead right field giving the Sox an early 2-0 lead. After Jed Lowrie walked in the 3rd, Adrian Gonzalez did literally the same thing as he did last time up, taking a low fastball and turning it around the center field to make it 4-0. After Carl Crawford lined a single up the middle in the 4th, Jarrod Saltalamacchia immediately delivered by crushing an outside fastball right back where it came, homered to the opposite field to give the Sox a 6-0 lead, which they easily held.
     This game was probably the best I've ever seen Andrew Miller pitch as he was dominant, striking out 6 and walking 2 while allowing 3 hits in 6 1/3 innings; he is now 6-1/4.42/39. He was relieved with Alfredo Aceves, who threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings and Dan Wheeler who threw a scoreless inning in relief. Adrian Gonzalez (left) had a great game, going 2-4 with 2 home runs, a solo and a 2-run, as he is having a great season at .348/23/102. David Ortiz went 1-3, but that one hit was a big solo home run, as he is now .301/25/81. Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 2-4, including that 2-run homer that really put the game away, as he is now .251/14/44. Tonight, the Red Sox will head back home to face Oakland, and will put Tim Wakefield (6-5/4.97/69) out on the hill to get his 200th win against Gio Gonzalez (10-11/3.24/155).

Bright Spots:
Andrew Miller- 6 1/3 scoreless innings
Alfredo Aceves- 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief
Dan Wheeler- 1 scoreless inning of relief
Adrian Gonzalez- 2-4 with 2 home runs
David Ortiz- 1-3 with a solo home run
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-4 with a 2-run homer

Dull Spots:
Jacoby Ellsbury- 0-5 with 2 strikeouts and 2 runners left on base
Dustin Pedroia- 0-4 with a strikeout

This was a great game for us, and after the Yankees beat the A's we remain in 1st by a game.