The Red Sox got just the late spring start they needed from Felix Doubront, jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, added a couple more in the eighth and the bullpen tamped down the Minnesota Twins the rest of the way as the Sox cruised to a 5-0 win at Jet Blue Park Friday night.
Mar 11, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (39) connects for a two run RBI single in the third inning during a spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
After Dustin Pedroia grounded into a double play to score Jacoby Ellsbury in the first inning, Jarrod Saltalamacchia blasted a two-run homer in the fourth with Mike Napoli aboard to put Boston up 3-0. Over those four innings Doubront gave up just 2 hits, walked 1 (an “ugh” moment when he walked the first batter he faced), struck out 4 and kept the Twins from plating a run for the duration of his outing.
In the eighth you definitely needed a program to tell who was who on the field. Boston’s Heiker Menenses doubled home Shannon Wilkerson and Dan Butler sac flied Daniel Nava (hey, there’s a name I recognize) home for Boston’s final run.
A bullpen trio of Junichi Tazawa (2 innings), Chris Carpenter (2 innings) and Anthony Carter (1 inning) blanked the Twinkies the rest of the way. If you were a Sox fan it was an efficient and completely satisfying evening. If you were a Twins fan, after stranding nine runners and posting a goose egg, you were chugging the Pepto by game’s end. Salty (.417), Pedey (.323) and Deven Marrero (.429) all went 2-3 on the evening.
The circus will be in town Saturday as Boston and starting pitcher Alfredo Aceves face Tampa Bay at 1:05 pm at Charlotte Sports Park.
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