With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 9th and one out, David Ortiz took a 1-0 pitch from Tony Pena and drove it around Pesky’s Pole to give the Boston Red Sox a 3-2 walk-off win over the Chicago White Sox in front of 37,829 at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.
The last time Big Papi hit a walk-off home run it was September 12, 2007 when he hit one off of Al Reyes to give the Red Sox a 5-4 win over the then Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The win for the Red Sox improves their record to 73-53 and increases their lead in the wild card to 2.5 games over the Rangers who lost to the Yankees. The White Sox drop below .500 at 63-64 and fall 4.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers for 1st place in the AL Central.
Tim Wakefield returned from the disabled list and was outstanding. He had the good knuckleball going and there were no problems at all with Victor Martinez catching him. Wake scattered six hits over seven innings and allowed one run. He walked one and struck out 3 and left to a standing ovation from the Fenway Faithful.
Ramon Ramirez allowed a leadoff home run in the 8th to Scott Podsednik and then walked one in a third of an inning. Daniel Bard bailed him out as he was just filthy. He struck out Jim Thome on three fastballs, the last one at 101 MPH to end the 8th. He then went 1-2-3 in the 9th and finished with three strikeouts. He also earned his first big league win because of the Big Papi walk-off home run.
Gavin Floyd was equal to the task as he matched Wakefield early on. Floyd went six innings, allowing five hits, two of them home runs, walking one and striking out two. Matt Thornton allowed a hit and had a strikeout in two innings. Pena had struck out Kevin Youkilis before the big blow.
Both of Big Papi’s hits were home runs with the first home run coming in the 2nd inning. Alex Gonzalez had two hits, including a solo home run in the 6th inning. Jason Bay added a single and a stolen base while Dustin Pedroia and Youkilis had the other hits for the Red Sox.
It was great to see Wake back and doing what he was doing when we went on the disabled list. It was even more encouraging to know that VMart can do a fine job of catching Wake behind the plate.
The Red Sox will look to go for the sweep on Thursday night behind young Japanese rookie Junichi Tazawa. He’ll be opposed by lefty John Danks.
