Red Sox End Losing Streak, Beat Tigers 6-5

By KC Downey in Featured, Red Sox, Top Story ⋅ August 11, 2009 at 11:17am ⋅ Post a comment

After scoring 18 runs last Sunday against the Orioles, the Red Sox managed just 14 runs over the next six games against the Rays and Yankees (0-6). So, after that disgusting stretch, the Sox needed just a little home cooking right? 10 pitches into their first game back home against the Tigers, Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run blast to left field to give his team a 2-0 lead.

The Sox built a 4-0 lead on a Nick Green solo shot and a David Ortiz RBI single. They needed all the runs they could get with Brad Penny on the hill, but he pitched pretty well. Penny tossed six innings and allowed three runs on six hits. He was in line for the win with the Sox clinging to a 5-3 lead after Jason Bay’s fifth inning HR.

But, Manny Delcarmen gave up the lead, allowing two runs in the seventh inning on a Placido Polanco RBI single and a Marcus Thames RBI double. The Sox didn’t wait long to respond, as Nick Green brought J.D. Drew home with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to cap the scoring. Jonathan Papelbon slammed the door shut in the ninth to earn the four-out save in the 6-5 win.

Sox Stud of the Game: Dustin Pedroia

The bats finally woke up, but credit Dustin Pedroia for really picking the club up with his HR in the first inning. These are things an MVP-caliber player is made of (though he won’t win the award this year).

Sox Dud of the Game: Manny Delcarmen

The “Pride of Hyde Park” either didn’t get his home-cooked meal before the game, or he ate something and got sick. Delcarmen’s main job is to enter the game in any situation and get guys out. After coming into the seventh inning of a tight game with no one on, Delcarmen allowed two runs to blow a rare solid start from Brad Penny. Shame on you!

That’s What He Said: Nick Green

“It’s big if we can jump out and get runs early. That’s what we want to do,” Green said, “but we can’t just be satisfied with runs early. Today was good for us to be able to score runs later in the game as well.” Well put Nick, well put. (AP QUOTE)

Game Notes

W: Ramon Ramirez (6-3)
L: Zach Miner (5-2)
S: Jonathan Papelbon (28)

The Blue Jays beat the Yankees Monday night, and the Red Sox are now 5.5 games back in the AL East.
Victor Martinez was the only Sox player without a hit, going 0-5 in his Fenway Park debut as a member of the team.
Tigers starter Edwin Jackson went only four innings, and allowed four runs before he was pulled by manager Jim Leyland.