On Sept. 1, 2007, Dustin Pedroia made a superhuman effort at Fenway Park to preserve Clay Buchholz’ history-making no-hitter with a jaw-dropping, diving stop of a seventh-inning grounder up the middle and accurate, pop-up throw from the edge of the outfield grass. For those who missed that play, the BoSox second baseman turned in an encore performance in the ninth inning last night at Fenway to position his team for a vital, 1-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. With Scott Rolen on second base following a two-out double off Jonathan Paplebon (1-0), Vernon Wells pounded a ball up the middle that appeared destined to break a scoreless deadlock, only to be robbed by Pedroia’s backhanded dive behind the bag and strong, accurate throw to first base.
Pedroia’s defensive gem seized the momentum for a team on the edge of losing six straight games for the first time since Aug. 25-30, 2006. After mustering only three inconsequential singles off Roy Halladay, the Sox strung together a two-out rally in the ninth against the Toronto starter that gave them their first walkoff 1-0 win since a Dave Stapleton 10th-inning solo home run ended a scoreless game vs. the Minnesota Twins on July 18, 1990.
The Sox received marvelous starting pitching for the third consecutive game. Jon Lester allowed only one hit in eight innings, while striking out six and walking four, and matched his longest career scoreless performance from July 18, 2006 (a 1-0 win over the Kansas City Royals). The left-hander’s outing came on the heels of tough losses by Clay Buchholz and Josh Beckett on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and gave the three Red Sox starters 23 outstanding innings - three earned runs, eight hits, 28 strikeouts - with no personal victories to show for it.
Sox Notes: Bryan Corey was designated for assignment to make room for Mike Lowell. Jacoby Ellsbury was sidelined by a minor groin strain and J.D. Drew joined him on the bench when he was removed from the game in the second inning with tightness in his left quadriceps after lunging for first base running out a ground ball. Drew appears unlikely to play tonight.
