Iglesias, Gomez Lead 9-2 Offensive Outburst Against Rays

The Red Sox continued their winning ways today with another solid win against the Rays. Getting the start was Alfredo Aceves, who lasted 4.1 strong innings in his first game back from pitching in the World Baseball Classic with Mexico. In those innings, he wasn’t great but he got the job done by allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out none. However, Aceves did benefit from some pretty solid run support against opposing starter Roberto Hernandez, formerly Fausto Carmona.

Mar 8, 2012; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop

(10) flies out to the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

A two-run single by Lyle Overbay, scoring Jose Iglesias and Jackie Bradley from third and second, got the Red Sox off to a quick start in the first inning. They held that 2-0 lead until the second inning where a Ronald Bermudez single scored J.C. Linares to give the Red Sox an easy 3-0 lead. The Rays would cut into it a bit in the third inning, however, when they nabbed a pair of runs off Alfredo Aceves.

Roberto Hernandez settled down a bit after that and pitched scoreless frames until he was pulled after five innings. After that, the Red Sox got individual runs off Rays’ relievers in the sixth and seventh on another RBI single for Ronald Bermudez and a Ryan Lavarnway sacrifice fly (after Jose Iglesias had reached on a leadoff triple). This put the Red Sox up 5-2, but they were far from done.

After a scoreless eighth inning, the Red Sox put together quite a rally in the ninth inning. A pair of leadoff singles put a runner in scoring position, and with one out, prospect Blake Swihart (who played at Single-A Greenville in 2012) doubled to right to score a pair. After Lyle Overbay worked a walk, a Mauro Gomez double would score two more to make it 9-2.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox had received pretty solid pitching in relief of Aceves. He was relieved by the Andrews (Miller and Bailey), who combined for 1.2 innings, striking out 2 and allowing a hit. After a perfect inning for Daniel Bard, always good to see, the Red Sox put a couple of no-name relievers, Chris Martin and Sean Henn, into the game to record a pair of scoreless innings and get out of the game with a seven-run lead.