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Sox Jump Out To Big Lead And Then Hold On To Win Third Straight, 8-4
By Administrator | August 14, 2008
Tonight at Fenway Park, the Red Sox jumped out to an 8-0 lead after five innings and then held on to beat the Texas Rangers, 8-4. It was the Sox’ third straight win.
Starter Jon Lester pitched seven shutout innings before getting into trouble in the eighth inning… Mike Timlin, Javier Lopez and Justin Masterson finished off the win. With the win, Lester improved to 7-1 at home this season… he’s now 12-2 in his career at Fenway Park.
Third baseman Kevin Youkilis had three hits and two rbi… he doubled in each of his first three at-bats to lead the Red Sox offense. In seven games batting cleanup since Manny Ramirez was traded, Youk is 10-for-25 with two home runs, five doubles and eight RBIs.
The Sox got on the scoreboard in the second inning when a Kevin Youkilis double and Jason Bay single put men at the corners with no one out. Bay then stole second, but when C Jarrod Saltalamacchia committed a throwing error, Youkilis scored and Bay advanced to third base… he scored moments later on Sean Casey’s ground out to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Sox added four runs in the third inning on a pair of two-run doubles by Youkilis and Bay… they then added two more runs in the fifth inning on Jed Lowrie’s bases-loaded double.
Trailing 8-0 entering the eighth inning, Texas gave the Sox a bit of a scare. Ian Kinsler hit a home run off Lester to make it 8-1… after two more batters reached base, Terry Francona lifted the southpaw in favor of Mike Timlin. When Milton Bradley greeted the veteran righty with a three-run home run, the deficit was cut to 8-4.
The Rangers then put their first two batters on base in the ninth, but sinkerballer Justin Masterson got Ian Kinsler — who is leading the majors in hits — to ground into a double play and then retired Michael Young on a foul pop to end the game.
After the game, a relieved Francona said: “We made it a little more interesting than we needed to”.
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Texas center fielder Josh Hamilton left the game after the sixth inning to go home to his wife, who was going intgo labor. Unfortunately, he missed the last plane home and will leave tomorrow morning.
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According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Dustin Pedroia is the first player in Red Sox history to have five hits and score five runs in the same game… he accomplished the feat on Tuesday night.
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After the game, the Red Sox demoted David Pauley and recalled first baseman-outfielder Jeff Bailey from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Topics: Sox Games, Sox Players |
