By Maureen Mullen
CSNNE.com
BOSTONWith the Cubs visiting Fenway Park for the first time ever in the regular season and first time since the 1918 World Series, the Red Sox played the part of inhospitable hosts, pummeling Chicago, 15-5.
The victory was their seventh straight and moved them into second place, one-half game behind Tampa Bay.
Jon Lester earned the win, improving to 6-1 with a 3.68 ERA, but he was far from spectacular. In six innings, Lester gave up five runs (matching a season high) on 12 hits (a career high), with two walks, five strikeouts and a hit batter. In his last three starts since recording a season-high 11 strikeouts May 3 against the Angels, Lester has pitched a combined 17 13 innings and given up 14 runsa 7.27 ERA -- on 24 hits with 11 walks. His ERA has climbed from 2.33 to 3.68.
Still, he's 2-0 in those games -- the Red Sox are 2-1 -- and Friday night was an example why.
The Sox got to Cubs starter Doug Davis early, with two runs in the first. After the Cubs tied the game in the third, the Sox added four runs in the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate. Kevin Youkilis eighth home run of the season, a blast over the Monster onto Lansdowne Street knocked Davis from the game, bringing in Scott Maine.
The Red Sox batted around in two innings, sending 10 batters to the plate in both the fourth, when they scored four runs, and the eighth, scoring five runs.
Boston Red Sox
Youkilis went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI, raising his average from .259 to .271. Adrian Gonzalez went 4-for-6 with a run scored and four RBI. Every batter in the Sox starting lineup had at least one hit, except for Mike Cameron.
Scott Atchison relieved Lester, pitching three scoreless innings to earn his first save of the season.
Player of the Game: Adrian Gonzalez
Gonzalez went 4-for-6 with four RBI and a run scored. He set season-highs in both hits and RBI, extending his American League lead to 41 RBI while raising his average 12 points to .326. He has driven in at least one run in 8 of his last 11 games, with 19 total RBI in that time.
Hes a good hitter, said manager Terry Francona. It seems like every night Im getting asked about him as a hitter. Thats good . . . Hes fun to watch. Hes so professional and drives the ball to right. Get him out early on a pitch, hell hit it later.
In four games on the homestand, Gonzalez is 7-for-18 (.389), with two runs scored and seven RBI.
Ive been saying it all along, Gonzalez said. I dont hit to a ballpark. I just go out there and try to have a good approach and execute. I dont think it has to do a lot with the park. It just has to do with the way Im feeling at the plate.
Honorable Mention: Kevin Youkilis
Youkilis went 3-for-5, with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI, raising his average from .259 to .271. He extended his hit streak to eight games, in which he is batting .387 (12-for-31) with four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI. His three hits are a season-high. He bashed his eighth home run of the season, a two-run blast over the Monster onto Lansdowne Street in the fourth inning, for the 500th RBI of his career.
The Goat: Doug Davis
Making his second start of the season for the Cubs after being called up May 14, Davis allowed seven runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3 23 innings. He allowed the Sox to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning and then, the Cubs tied the score in the third, gave up two runs in the third and four runs in the fourth, a deficit from which his team could not recover. It was his shortest outing since going 3 13 innings against the Cubs on April 12, 2010, while with the Brewers. He is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in four career starts at Fenway.
Turning Point: Bottom of the fourth
Leading, 4-2, heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Sox sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning, scoring four runs, allowing them to cruise through the rest of the game.
The Sox managed to do all their damage in the inning with two outs. Carl Crawford led off the inning by flying out to right and after Jarrod Saltalamacchia walked, Jacoby Ellsbury struck out looking. Dustin Pedroia then doubled to left, with Saltalamacchia taking third. Gonzalez singled to right, scoring Saltalamacchia and Pedroia, driving Davis from the game. Scott Maine entered in relief and gave up a home run to Youkilis over the Wall. David Ortiz reached on an error (one of four in the game for the Cubs) by shortstop Starlin Castro. Jed Lowrie singled to left and Mike Cameron walked before Crawford ended the inning grounding out. The total for the inning: 10 batters, 4 hits, 4 runs.
We scored early and they fought back, and then we spread it out again, Terry Francona said. It was nice to have guys loosen up a little bit and, pretty much from top to bottom, take some swings.
By the Numbers: 12
The Red Sox win, combined with losses by the Rays and Yankees, moves the Sox into second place in the American League East, a half-game behind the Rays and a half-game ahead of the Yankees. Since starting the season with a record of 2-10, the Sox have gone 22-10.
Tonight was good enough, but theres always room for improvement, Francona said. I think were playing better but I think we can be better.
Quote of Note:
If it ends tomorrow. Im not going to be that happy. Ill be glad that we won but Id prefer it not to end. Well, maybe we can hold off one more day.
--Red Sox manager Terry Francona, if the world ends Saturday with his team one-half game out of first place.
Maureen Mullen is on Twitter at http:twitter.commaureenamullen.