With the distraction of the disgruntled slugger Manny Ramirez out of the way, the Red Sox have become the hottest team in the American League, with nearly everyone in the lineup showing improvement since Jason Bay’s arrival Aug. 1. The Sox exploded for nine runs in the second inning last night and held on with a tight grip to improve to 10-3 since the trade. Unlike Tuesday night, when they scored 10 runs in the first inning and let the lead slip away before Kevin Youkilis pushed them to a 19-17 victory, the Sox were better suited to protect the cushion this time thanks to the pitching of Daisuke Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka allowed six inconsequential singles in seven shutout innings, while striking out five batters and walking five, to improve to 14-2 on the season. The right-hander’s record is the team’s best in terms of winning percentage (15-or-more decisions) since Bob Stanley’s 15-2 mark in 1978.
Though the Sox won their fourth straight, a victory gained no ground on the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays, who won in Oakland, 7-6 in 12 innings, to retain a three-game advantage in the AL East. The Sox, who collected 13 hits, improved their team batting average to .308 with 12 homers and 93 runs (7.75 per game) since Ramirez’ departure. In that span, they have scored five-or-more runs 10 times and eight-or-more runs six times, including five of the last nine games. The Sox hammered him for nine runs on seven hits, a walk and a hit batter in only 1 innings, with all of the runs coming in the second. The scorching-hot Youkilis, who has exploded offensively since taking over the cleanup spot from Ramirez, started the big inning by lining a leadoff single off The Wall. A Jed Lowrie single and a Jason Varitek walk loaded the bases for Coco Crisp, who singled in the first run. Hunter then hit Alex Cora on the right leg to force in a run before J.D. Drew made it 3-0 with a fielder’s choice grounder. Pedroia’s two-out double to left pushed the lead to 4-0 before David Ortiz, who smashed two three-run homers in the 10-run inning Tuesday, clobbered another three-run shot into the first row of seats just past Pesky’s Pole. That shot gave Ortiz 20 RBI in only seven games vs. the Rangers this season. A Youkilis double and a Bay single extended it to 8-0, knocking Hunter out of the game. Lowrie greeted reliever Warner Madrigal with an RBI double off the Green Monster to make it 9-0.
Nation Notes: Jacoby Ellsbury was out of the starting lineup for the third consecutive game because of a bruise near his tailbone suffered Monday night in Chicago, where he was hit by a John Danks pitch. Paul Byrd, who was acquired from the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday, will make his Sox debut tonight by opposing Toronto ace Roy Halladay in the first game of a three-game series at Fenway. The Red Sox are hopeful that Clay Buchholz, who will make his next start Sunday, will benefit from six days of rest.
