Late Rallies Extend Winning Streak To Five (9-10)

Daniel Bard pitched well
in his first win as a starter

Unlike the previous five games, the Red Sox did not start off quite as strong-- but they came on late and that's when it really counts. With runners at first and second, two outs, and two strikes in the first, A.J. Pierzynski doubled off the wall in left to drive in a run. However, the Red Sox got those runs back in the second when David Ortiz crushed a two-run homer (his fourth of the year) on an inside fastball to make it 2-1. The game got all knotted up again in the third when Kelly Shoppach allowed a weird passed ball on a high fastball that he should have definitely caught. The White Sox took another lead in the fifth when Paul Konerko crushed a home run into deep left. But that's just when things got going strong for the Red Sox. The Sox loaded the bases on a pair of walks (Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis) and a single (David Ortiz) with just one out. With two strikes and a low fastball, Cody Ross turned on it and sent a line drive through the infield gap to the left. Gonzalez would score and tie the game up at 3-3, but that wasn't all for the Sox.

Darnell McDonald had 4 RBIs

Kelly Shoppach struck out swinging to make it two outs, but Darnell McDonald would deliver. On a first pitch fastball, he drove a line drive right down the third base line. Two runs scored easily and Ross just made it around on a close play as a three-run double from one of the least likely suspects had given the Red Sox a 6-3 lead. From there they didn't really look back as Marlon Byrd made it 7-3 with a little blooper into left-center. The Red Sox scored two more runs in the seventh inning on RBI singles by Cody Ross and Kelly Shoppach to make it 9-3. The seventh inning was also Daniel Bard's last-- as he really settled down to throw a great ball game with 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K and winning the game to become 2-2/3.72/19 on the year. The Red Sox would take another in the ninth inning when Darnell McDonald homered to make it a 10-3 win for Boston.

Bright Spots:
Daniel Bard- 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W (2-2)
Matt Albers- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K
Dustin Pedroia- 2-4, 1 R, 1 BB
Adrian Gonzalez- 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB
David Ortiz- 2-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Cody Ross- 2-5, 1 R, 2 RBI
Darnell McDonald- 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Marlon Byrd- 2-5, 1 RBI

Dull Spots:
Nobody

Player of the Game:
Darnell McDonald- McDonald really turned it on in the late innings with the go ahead three-run double in the sixth and a solo homer in the ninth-- he is now .147/1/6.