Red Sox Hit Their Way Into First Place (78-50)

Last night, as we've seen so often this season, the Sox were hitting machines, beating the Rangers 11-5 and pounding out 14 hits. It all started in the top of the 1st, when Jacoby Ellsbury singled to right to start the game. After he stole 2nd and Marco Scutaro bunted him to 3rd, Adrian Gonzalez crushed a home run to the 2nd deck in right field. Singles by Jed Lowrie and Carl Crawford led off the 2nd, and after a Ryan Lavarnway strikeout, Jarrod Saltalamacchia hooked an RBI double to right. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly by Marco Scutaro made it 4-0. After Dustin Pedroia struck out to lead off the inning, two singles by Josh Reddick and Jed Lowrie put runners on base. Carl Crawford then hit a long sac fly to right field and Ryan Lavarnway doubled into the left-center gap to make it 6-0. However, the Rangers began scoring in the bottom of the 2nd, as three straight singles by Yorvit Torrealba, Endy Chavez, and Ian Kinsler. The Rangers finally got to the scoreboard when Elvis Andrus walked a run in, and later in the inning on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Josh Hamilton and Michael Young to make it 6-3. In the 4th, Adrian Gonzalez gave the Sox an insurance run as he went to the opposite field on a line drive for his 2nd homer of the game. In the 5th, Josh Hamilton got that run back though, as he crushed a home run to deep right. In the 8th, Ryan Lavarnway stood at 3rd and Jarrod Saltalamacchia at 2nd due to a single and double with 2 outs for Marco Scutaro. Scutaro delivered, hitting a beautiful line drive to left which bounced off the top of the wall for a 2-run double to make it 9-4. After Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked, Dustin Pedroia doubled to left, scoring 2 more and making it 11-4. In the 9th, Ian Kinsler homered to left but it wasn't enough and the score was final at 11-5.
     John Lackey was decent, allowing 4 runs in 6 2/3 innings and striking out 5; but it was enough to give him the win and make him 12-9/5.98/91 this season. He was relieved with Franklin Morales, who did his job and got Josh Hamilton out in a pressure situation. He was relieved by Alfredo Aceves with a scoreless inning, an Dan Wheeler allowing a run in an inning. Marco Scutaro had a good game, going 1-3 with a run and 3 RBIs. Adrian Gonzalez had a great game, going 3-4 while scoring 3 runs and driving in 3 runs, he is having a remarkable season at .346/20/97. Jed Lowrie went 2-5 and scored 2 runs, setting up some key rallies for the Sox. Carl Crawford went 1-3 with a run and an RBI. Ryan Lavarnway had a good game at 2-5 with a run and an RBI. Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 2-4 with a run and an RBI, both of his hits being doubles in a good game. Tonight, Josh Beckett (10-5/2.46/137) will go against Matt Harrison (10-8/3.28/99) in game 3 of this series.

Bright Spots:
Alfredo Aceves- a scoreless inning
Marco Scutaro- 1-3 with 3 RBIs
Adrian Gonzalez- 3-4 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs, with 2 home runs
Jed Lowrie- 2-5 with 2 runs scored
Carl Crawford- 1-3 with a run and an RBI
Ryan Lavarnway- 2-5 with a run and an RBI
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 2-4 with a run and an RBI, with 2 doubles

Dull Spots:
Nobody!

This was a good day for the Sox, and a bad one for the Yanks, so we now stand tied for 1st place.