Kalish Grand Slam Helps Red Sox Creep Closer to Rays

By KC Downey in Featured, Red Sox, Top Story ⋅ September 7, 2010 at 12:15am ⋅ Post a comment

First of all, let’s get this out of the way. After a demoralizing sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, the Red Sox have little or no shot of usurping the Rays or Yankees to earn a playoff berth this season. With that given, the Red Sox can make it interesting with a sweep of the recently reeling Rays, who entered Monday’s Labor Day contest with a two-game losing streak.

The Red Sox lineup showed they belong in October, blasting three runs in each of the first two innings of 6-foot-9 Jeff Niemann, who allowed four hits and three walks before being pulled with one out to go in the second. Recent call-up Andy Sonnanstine took over, and had trouble finding the strikezone in his 4.1 mopup innings. Sonnanstine yielded five more runs, and the Red Sox staff took care of the rest in a 12-5 win.

Ryan Kalish blasted his second career grand slam, hitting it off Sonnanstine in the fourth inning after Jed Lowrie scored a run with a bases loaded walk. The slumping Kalish bounced back in a big way Monday, going 2-3 overall with three runs scored, four RBIs, and a walk.

Jon Lester continued his strong season with another solid outing, as he allowed two runs on four hits and three walks in six innings pitched. For the third straight start, Lester struck out 10 batters, giving him 196 for the year as he goes for 200 strikeouts in back-to-back seasons.

Sox Stud of the Game: David Ortiz

Kalish’s grand slam has already been featured in this write-up, so let’s give a shout out to Big Papi, who went 2-3 with two walks, a run scored, three RBI, and a home run that got things started in the first inning.

Sox Dud of the Game: Lars Anderson

Welcome to the big leagues Mr. Anderson. Lars went 0-4 with two strikeouts in his major league debut at first base.

Game Notes:

W: Jon Lester (16-8)
L: Jeff Niemann (10-6)

Reliever Robert Coello also made his major league debut, but perhaps he’d like to forget that memory. He allowed three hits and walked two men while just recording one out in the seventh inning. In the end, he was charged with three earned runs.
Adrian Beltre followed Big Papi’s home run in the first with a solo shot of his own. Beltre now has 26 home runs and 93 RBI.
Rocco Baldelli started at DH for the Rays and went 0-4 against his former team.
Red Sox killer Dan Johnson pinch hit for the Rays, and of course, he finished 2-2 with a run scored.