OK, We Beat The Rays, Deep Breath Everybody (87-63)

Last night was a tense game, a good game, but a very tense one. After Desmond Jennings singled to lead off the game, B.J. Upton got out, but then Evan Longoria came up. After 3 batters, the score was 2-0 as Longoria hit a homer over the green monster. However, the Sox had a little rally in the 1st too as Jacoby Ellsbury doubled to lead off the inning. Then Dustin Pedroia came up and single him in to make it 2-1. After a wild pitch put Dustin Pedroia on 2nd base, David Ortiz singled him in to tie it up. Desmond Jennings made it to 3rd to start the 3rd inning with a single and some crafty baserunning. Then it was Evan Longoria again, with an RBI single to make it 3-2 Rays. A single and a steal by Dustin Pedroia led off the 3rd, and he would score on a double by David Ortiz. However, in the 4th was the key blow. Our light-hitting backup infielder Mike Aviles came up and crushed one over the green monster to make it 4-3, what would wind up as the difference in the game.

      Josh Beckett was pretty good, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned in 6 innings, as he is now 13-5/2.50/162. He was relieved by Alfredo Aceves, Daniel Bard, and Jonathan Papelbon; each had a scoreless inning, and the last 6 outs were strikeouts. Dustin Pedroia had a good game, going 2-4 while scoring 2 runs and driving in a run as well. David Ortiz had a good game too, going 2-4 with 2 RBIs, including an important RBI double. Carl Crawford had a rare decent game, going 2-3. However, it was really all up to Mike Aviles (left), who had that key solo home run in the 4th inning that would wind up being the difference, he is now .253/6/34 and .338/1/3 with the Red Sox. Today at 4:05, the Sox will have another great pitching matchup as Jon Lester (15-7/3.07/169) goes against Jeff Niemann (10-7/3.97/99).

Bright Spots:
Josh Beckett- 3 runs in 6 innings to keep the Sox in the game
Alfredo Aceves- a scoreless inning
Daniel Bard- struck out the side in order
Jonathan Papelbon- the save with a scoreless inning
Dustin Pedroia- 2-4 with 2 runs and an RBI
David Ortiz- 2-4 with 2 RBIs
Carl Crawford- 2-3
Mike Aviles- 1-3 with a very important home run

Dull Spots:
Adrian Gonzalez- 0-3 with 2 strikeouts and 2 LOB
Josh Reddick- 0-3 with a strikeout and 2 LOB
Marco Scutaro- 0-4 with 4 LOB

Alright, it's a lot more fun to blog about a game when we win.