The Boston Red Sox needed something to get them going. Things haven’t been going well and at one point during Tuesday’s game, it looked as though it might continue going south.
Enter Darnell McDonald.
McDonald, who signed as minor league free agent with the Red Sox, was the catalyst as his walk-off single in the 9th won the game 7-6 for the Red Sox over the Texas Rangers in front of 37,614 at Fenway Park.
It was also McDonald who got the Red Sox back in the game with a pinch-hit two-run homer in the 8th that tied the game at 6. The Red Sox had earlier trailed 6-2 before making their comeback.
Trailing 6-4 in the 8th, Jason Varitek, who came in the game as a defensive replacement for Victor Martinez, led off the inning with a double. Then on a 2-2 count, McDonald took a Darren Oliver slider and put it into the Green Monster seats to bring back some life to Fenway.
After Jonathan Papelbon worked the 9th, the Red Sox got right to work in the bottom half.
Kevin Youkilis led off with a single off of Frank Francisco. He went to second on a passed ball and ended up on third when Bill Hall sacrificed him over. The Rangers then decided to intentionally walk Mike Lowell, who had earlier pinch-hit for David Ortiz.
Francisco recovered as he got Adrian Beltre to pop out to first. Varitek then worked a walk and on a 0-1 pitch, McDonald hit a wall scraper just over the outstretched arm of Josh Hamilton that scored Youk and sent Fenway Park into a frenzy.
Tim Wakefield started this one for the Red Sox and didn’t really have it. He went six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and five walks with three strikeouts. The worst part though is the fact that the Rangers stole nine bases off him and VMart.
Manny Delcarmen’s velocity seems to be returning as he was regularly hitting in the mid 90’s during his 1 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out 1. Okajima allowed a hit and walked one in a 1/3 of an inning while Papelbon walked one and struck out one to win his first game of 2010.
Before being lifted from the game, VMart led the Red Sox with three hits and added an RBI. Jeremy Hermida added two hits and an RBI while Youk also had two hits. Josh Reddick, fresh up from Pawtucket as well, had a hit and two RBIs.
The struggles of J.D. Drew and Big Papi continued as they both had two strikeouts.
The Red Sox will look to build up some momentum after this win with Josh Beckett on the bump on Wednesday night. He’ll be opposed by Matt Harrison.
