We’ve all seen what the Boston Red Sox offense can do to teams this season. But on Thursday night at Fenway Park against the Baltimore Orioles, they did something we hadn’t seen before.
One of the big things the Red Sox hadn’t done this year was hit four home runs in a game. That changed in the 7th inning when Buck Showalter brought in lefty Pedro Viola to face David Ortiz. Big Papi had been in short of a funk because of interleague play but one swing of the bat made things better as his home run, the 4th of the night for the local nine, put them up 8-3.
But the Red Sox didn’t stop there as Josh Reddick was the next batter and he took Viola deep. But wait, there’s more. Jarrod Saltalamacchia followed the back-to-back home runs from Big Papi and Reddick with a solo johnson of his own to make it three in a row and put the Red Sox firmly in front at 10-4 with the team’s sixth home run of the night.
The Red Sox got the earlier home runs from Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury. The three-run home run by Pedroia in the 3rd inning was huge at the time as they were trailing 2-0. Gonzo’s home run in the 5th made it 5-3 and Ellsbury’s home run in the 6th had pushed the lead to 7-3.
Ironically enough, the only run of the night the Red Sox didn’t score on a home run came off the bat of J.D. Drew who grounded out to first in the 4th. It was also Drew who couldn’t make it four home runs in a row in the 7th as he worked himself a walk.
Gonzo’s home run was just part of yet another three-hit night for him as his average is up to .351. Pedroia also had two hits as did Salty and Big Papi.
Andrew Miller started this for the Red Sox and he was making just his first start of the season against an American League team. His previous three starts had all come during interleague play against teams that don’t have Derek Lee batting 6th.
Miller had command issues early on as he had trouble locating his fastball for strikes. It also looked as though his velocity was down a few MPH as well. The Orioles touched him up for two runs in the 1st and after Pedroia had given the lead in the 3rd, he gave it right back in the 4th on J.J. Hardy sacrifice fly.
This was definitely not his best outing of the four but it was good enough to keep the Red Sox in the game at the time. And that’s something that John Lackey hasn’t been able to do. His control issues cost him getting into the 6th inning, something he had done in his previous three starts. He ended up throwing 97 pitches in five innings but only 56 of them were for strikes.
Given the state of the Red Sox rotation right now with Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz on the DL plus a struggling Lackey, they need Miller to do what he did last night just a little better. And we also have to remember, there are going to be a few bumps in the road for him as he tries to rebuild himself.
If those bumps in the road for Miller are anything like they were last night, I think he’ll be okay. He won’t pitch again before the All-Star break unless Terry Francona and Curt Young throw him out there for an inning on Sunday. That’s highly unlikely but you never know. But if he doesn’t pitch then, he’ll have some time to work out the kinks and be ready when the Red Sox come back from the All-Star break.
The bullpen was solid behind him as Alfredo Aceves needed just 15 pitches to retire all six batters he faced. Scott Atchison was touched up for a run and Bobby Jenks allowed a hit but all in all, a good night for the pen.
With the win for the Red Sox coupled with the New York Yankees loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox are now back in first place by ½ game. The Rays do stay 3.5 games behind the Red Sox. Hopefully on Sunday when the games end, the Red Sox will find themselves in first.
We’ll be back later today with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and any links from the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below.
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Video: Red Sox Fan Grabs A Little Boob [SOX & Dawgs]
Launch party [Boston Globe]
Buchholz’s spirits boosted [Boston Globe]
Round trip to 7th heaven [Boston Globe]
Prospect furnished with polish [Boston Globe]
A step back is not path for Lackey [Boston Globe]
Can’t skip his place in Sox lore [Boston Globe]
Dick Williams; Sox skipper for Impossible Dream season [Boston Globe]
Sox bats back Andrew Miller [Boston Herald]
Almost HR deja Drew [Boston Herald]
A true Red Sox legend [Boston Herald]
Albers brings relief with fresh start [Boston Herald]
Jacoby Ellsbury’s long story [Boston Herald]
’67 Sox remember old skipper [Boston Herald]
Red Sox power surge beats Orioles, 10-4 [CSNNE.com]
Red Sox Nation was born with Williams [CSNNE.com]
Red Sox bats fully awake after interleague lull [CSNNE.com]
Buchholz gets ‘good news’ on his back injury [CSNNE.com]
Notes: Miller just good enough versus Orioles [CSNNE.com]
Francona on Williams: a brilliant manager [ESPN Boston]
Red Sox mourn Dick Williams [ESPN Boston]
Rapid reaction: Red Sox 10, Orioles 4 [ESPN Boston]
Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz says back injury is ‘just a muscular thing’ [ESPN Boston]
Trying to get a handle on Andrew Miller [Extra Bases]
Buchholz had ‘good news’ on back [Extra Bases]
Closing Time: Bombs away at Fenway in Red Sox 10-4 win over Orioles [Full Count]
Six homers have Ortiz (jokingly) reconsidering Home Run Derby selections [Full Count]
Dustin Pedroia can hit it wherever it’s pitched [Full Count]
Go Inside the Green Monster With Behind-the-Scenes Look at Fenway Park’s Famous Wall (Photos) [NESN.com]
Video: J.D. Drew Can’t Help Make Red Sox Home Run History Again [NESN.com]
Red Sox Power Up to Hammer Orioles, Move Back Into First Place With Convincing Win [NESN.com]
Bats launch six homers as Boston reclaims first place [Providence Journal]
‘Impossible Dream’ manager Dick Williams passes away [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Nation owes debt to Williams [Providence Journal]
Red Sox outfielders earn high rating [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Francona remembers Williams [Providence Journal]
Lowrie progressing, but unable to swing bat [RedSox.com]
Tek praises Salty’s work with Wake on hill [RedSox.com]
Buchholz gets cortisone injection in his back [RedSox.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the Baltimore Sun website. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, the Oriole Post.
Photo credit: Getty Images
