It didn't have quite the drama as last year's Mother's Day Miracle, but this afternoon's comeback victory over the Texas Rangers was exciting nonetheless. The Red Sox erased a 5-0 deficit with two runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth to record their eighth win in nine games.
Boston used some unlikely sources to come from behind in the late innings yet again. The legs of David Ortiz, a pinch hit from Dustin Pedroia, a lineup with Joe Thurston in the cleanup spot, and eight innings of no-walk pitching from Tim Wakefield contributed to the triumph.
After Ian Kinsler ripped Wakefield's third pitch over the Green Monster to lead off the game, it appeared like it might be one of those days when the knuckleball just isn't dancing. Yet, after the Rangers grabbed a 2-0 lead on a Gerald Laird RBI ground out in the second, Wakefield retired 13 in a row until surrendering singles to Michael Young and Josh Hamilton, and a towering home run to Milton Bradley in the sixth inning. Then Wakefield dismissed eight of the final nine batters he faced. Young reached base on a passed ball after striking out.
Overall, Wakefield allowed five runs and seven hits in eight innings, striking out five and walking none. With the exception of the stretch in the sixth when two batters singled and Bradley belted the home run, it was an ideal outing, mostly because Wakefield did not issue a walk and made the Rangers earn their runs.
While Texas was able to score five off Wakefield, the Red Sox did little against Rangers right-hander Kevin Millwood. There were ample opportunities, though. With the exception of a 1-2-3 first inning, Millwood allowed baserunners in every frame, but he escaped damage until the seventh. Overall, the Sox stranded 14, including 10 in the first six innings.
In the seventh, Boston finally crossed the plate against Millwood. Jed Lowrie, who started at second base after getting previous starts at shortstop and third base, lined a double and scored moments later on an RBI single by Ortiz. Wes Littleton was summoned to relieve Millwood and promptly hit Thurston, who replaced Ramirez when the slugger was thrown out in the second inning by home plate umpire Paul Emmel for arguing a called third strike. It looked like the Sox might squander another prime opportunity when Kevin Youkilis bounced into a double play, but J.D. Drew followed with a base hit that scored Ortiz, cutting the Texas lead to 5-2.
In the eighth, Boston concocted a two-out rally with the bases empty. Jacoby Ellsbury - who had two hits, a walk, a run and two stolen bases - singled and then scored on another double from Lowrie.
Texas manager Ron Washington called upon his closer, left-hander C.J. Wilson, who throws a mid-90s heater and had not surrendered an earned run in his first eight appearances. Ortiz greeted him with a hard grounder into shallow right. Kinsler dove, gathered the ball and fired to first, but could not get the hustling Ortiz. While first baseman Ben Broussard momentarily questioned the call, Lowrie continued racing home and scored, trimming the deficit to 5-4.
Terry Francona sent Pedroia to pinch hit for the left-handed swinging Thurston. Pedroia ripped a liner into the center field crease and Ortiz chugged around the bases and scored the game-tying run. On a heads-up baserunning decision, Pedroia advanced to third when Josh Hamilton made an errant throw to the infield.
Boston's impressive offensive display was not finished. Wilson issued an intentional pass to Youkilis. Then the left-handed hitting Drew worked a full count, fouled off two pitches and then reached on a walk to load the bases. Sean Casey's at-bat was just as important. Casey, who also hits from the left side, fouled off a 1-2 pitch and then took three straight balls to get the walk and RBI, and give the Sox their first lead of the day, 6-5.
Jonathan Papelbon, who earned the save last night by pitching a scoreless ninth, retired the side in order to record his seventh save. The eighth inning rally made a winner out of Wakefield, who is now 2-0 with a 3.96 ERA.
Today's victory was especially rewarding because the Sox lineup was minus four regular starters, once Ramirez was tossed in the second and replaced with Thurston.
Lowrie started in place of Pedroia (who was given the day off until his pinch-hitting appearance in the eighth). The versatile rookie responded with two doubles and is now 5-for-12 with three doubles and five RBI.
Sean Casey continued the rampage he has embarked upon since entering the lineup when Mike Lowell was placed on the disabled list. The first baseman had two hits and the crucial RBI walk, and is hitting .349 (15-for-43) with six walks and eight RBI.
Cash had a single in five at-bats, but his play behind the plate was solid. Thurston did not have a hit - he was 0-for-2 and was hit by a pitch - but he made three plays in left field that prevented the Rangers from scoring more runs.
Now 13-7, Boston has a 1.5-game lead over second place Baltimore, which finally lost to the New York Yankees after winning the first two games of the series. The Sox will attempt a four-game sweep tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. when Clay Buchholz and Kason Gabbard get the call.
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