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Red Sox Hang On To Sweep Battle Of The Soxes

By Conor Duffy

Sep 1, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) high fivesrelief pitcher Junichi Tazawa (right) after defeating the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) high fivesrelief pitcher Junichi Tazawa (right) after defeating the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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After some early-August woes, the Red Sox are completely back on track now. They have won their last four series (and swept this one against the White Sox), and have done so by treating mediocre teams like the White Sox exactly like they should. However, this latest edition in the Battle of the Soxes did not go so swimmingly as the pair of games before it. After taking a commanding lead early on, the Red Sox had to fight off an onslaught of White Sox offense to record the sweep, but they were able to handle it and move to 82-56 on the season.

After a scoreless first, the Red Sox exploded for four runs in the second inning. After a pair of baserunners reached to start the inning, Red Sox hitters had themselves a couple outs before coming through with a two-out rally. Jacoby Ellsbury came up big with a two-run single and after walks by Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz came through again with another two-run single to give the Red Sox an early 4-0 lead. The Red Sox padded that lead in the bottom of the third when Stephen Drew launched a homer to right.

However, the top of the fourth is when the wheels came off the bus for Felix Doubront. After getting through the first three innings relatively quickly, Doubront allowed the White Sox to load the bases with one out. Between Jeff Keppinger sac fly, Dayan Viciedo double, and Conor Gillaspie single, the White Sox were able to cut the Red Sox’ lead to just a run at 5-4 and Doubront was not even able to finish the inning.

However, a couple of RBI hits by Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz gave the Red Sox breathing room with a 7-4 lead. From that point on, it was a battle of the bullpens as Brandon Workman had replaced Doubront in the fourth as had Charlie Leesman to Andre Rienzo. Workman allowed a run in his 1.1 innings of work as the White Sox cut it further to 7-5.

The Red Sox got a combined two innings of scoreless relief out of Franklin Morales (1.1 innings) and Junichi Tazawa (0.2 innings) before Craig Breslow allowed a Tyler Flowers homer in the eighth to cut it all the way to 7-6. Fortunately, Koji Uehara is awesome and set down the White Sox 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth. However, this game could have taken a very different turn and the Red Sox are lucky to sweep this easy series before a tough one comes in Detroit.

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