The Captain, Jason Varitek, launched a 2-run homer in the 6th inning to help propel the Red Sox past the Blue Jays 9-4 on a beautiful night at the Fens. Daisuke Matsuzaka had given up 3 runs in the top half of the 6th, allowing the Jays to tie the game. But the homer got the Sox jump started in the 6th as they scored 5 runs in all to put the Jays away.
David Ortiz got the Red Sox started in the 1st inning. After Jays starter Dustin McGowan got the first two outs of the inning, Big Papi crushed a McGowan fastball on a 3-0 count into the Jays bullpen putting the Sox up 1-0. Manny Ramirez struck out looking to end the first.
Dice-K had a relatively easy 1st inning. Vernon Wells led off with a double but was left there as Dice-K got Reed Johnson, Alex Rios and Frank Thomas to fly out. He got himself into a little trouble in the 2nd inning but worked out of it. Troy Glaus led off the inning with a single and he was thrown out by Manny trying to stretch it out into a double. Replays showed that Dustin Pedroia never got the tag on Glaus. Glaus was dumbfounded as no one from the Jays dugout came out to argue. Dice-K then walked Lyle Overbay and Aaron Hill followed with a single advancing Overbay to second base. Dice-K settled back in and got Greg Zaun to pop out and John McDonald to ground out.
Dice-K had another easy odd numbered inning. He got Wells to ground out and Johnson to strikeout, one of Dice-K’s two strikeouts on the night. He then walked Rios and Rios went to second on a Varitek passed ball with Thomas at the plate. The battery mates seemed to have their signals crossed and after a meeting between the two, Dice-K got Thomas to fly out to Coco Crisp in center for the third out of the inning.
After Eric Hinske, filling in for the injured J.D. Drew, made the first out of the 3rd inning, Julio Lugo singled, one of his three hits on the night. Lugo would come around to score the second run of the night for the Sox on a Crisp triple to the triangle in center. With the infield in, Pedroia grounded out to Overbay at first with Coco staying at third. Big Papi would bring home Crisp with a ground rule double that was almost a homerun. The run gave the Sox a 3-0 lead. McGowan then intentionally walked Manny to face Kevin Youkilis. Youkilis grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
The Jays would get a run back in the 4th. Glaus led off the inning with a mammoth blast to left field that hit the V in the Volvo sign above the Green Monster. Overbay flew out to center for the first out. Aaron Hill then crushed a fastball to deep center for a double. Dice-K was having trouble locating his pitches again as the ball to Hill was supposed to be outside but was left over the inner half of the plate. Hill would be stranded at third as Zaun popped out to Lowell at third and McDonald struck out swinging.
The Sox got the run back in the 4th for Dice-K. After Lowell and Varitek made the first two outs of the inning, Hinske crushed a McGowan offering into his former team’s bullpen putting the lead back at 3 runs (4-1). Lugo followed that with a single and stole second with Coco at the plate. Crisp would work a walk off of McGowan but Pedroia grounded out to end the 4th.
Toronto struck for three runs in the 6th inning. Thomas led off with a double off of Dice-K and was brought home on a Glaus double, cutting the lead to 4-2. Overbay got Glaus to third on a ground out to Youk at first. Hill would bring himself and Glaus home as he crushed a slider from Dice-K into the Green Monster seats tying the game at 4. Dice-K settled back in and got Zaun and McDonald out to end the inning.
Varitek and his Bosox teammates would bail out Dice-K in the 6th inning. After Lowell led off the inning with a single, Varitek crushed a ball into the bleachers for a 2-run homer, making it 6-4 Sox. The Captain’s homer would chase McGowan from the game. Brian Tallet came in and got Hinske to strikeout. Lugo then bunted his way on and Crisp worked a walk off of Tallet. Pedroia brought in Lugo with the seventh run of the game for the Sox with a single. With Big Papi at the plate, Crisp and Pedroia executed a double steal to perfection, putting themselves at second and third respectively. This took the bat out of Big Papi’s hands as he was intentionally walked. Brian Wolfe relieved Tallet. Manny hit a sacrifice fly bringing Coco and making it 8-4. Youk brought in Pedroia with a single of his own for the ninth and final run for the Sox. Wolfe got Lowell to strikeout swinging ending the big inning for the Sox.
Manny Delcarmen took over for Dice-K in the 7th and was absolutely dominating. He got Wells to ground out to Lugo and then struck out Johnson and Rios. In the 8th, he was masterful again. He got Thomas to strike out and Glaus to foul out for the first two outs. He then gave up a single to Overbay but got Hill to strikeout swinging.
Dice-K pitched 6 innings, gave up 9 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks and struck out 2 Blue Jays. Hideki Okajima came in and worked the 9th, only allowing a single to Wells.
The win tonight was Dice-K’s 11th on the season and helped the Sox preserve their 10 game lead over the Yankees who won tonight in Tampa. Josh Beckett will take the ball tomorrow in search of his 13th win.
Coming into tonight’s game, Dice-K has gotten only 13 runs of support in his last 8 starts.
Brendan Donnelly will fly to Anaheim to see Dr. Yocum to get a second opinion on his forearm.
Big Papi’s homerun in the first inning was his first at the Fens since April 21st.
Lugo’s single in the fourth was his 1,000th hit of his career.
Alex Rios had his 8-game hitting streak snapped with a 0 for 3 night.
Hinske’s homer snapped his 0 for 13 streak.
