David Ortiz hit his 11th career walk off home run and his first since 2009 to give the Sox the series win.
Jun 6, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester (31) reacts to giving up a home run to Texas Rangers first baseman Jeff Baker (15) during the second inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
The beginning of the game was not such an easy ride for the Boston offense. The Sox seemed to be wasting chances left and right. Jon Lester struggled through the first three innings, putting Boston in a 3-0 hole by the bottom of the third. A Jose Iglesias walk and a Jacoby Ellsbury single set the table for Dustin Pedroia to crush a wall ball double in dead center, bringing the Sox within one run.
Boston was stranding runners all over the place all night long. In the fourth, Jacoby Ellsbury would take third with no one out, with Jonny Gomes on first. But Ellsbury would be caught up in a fielder’s choice, which was promptly followed by a double play to get the Rangers out of a jam. Then in the sixth, Pedro Ciriaco stranded Daniel Nava and Gomes at second and third by chasing at an awful pitch.
The seventh started much the way the fourth did, with Ellsbury and Gomes at first and third with no one out. And after a Pedroia strike out, and an Ortiz walk, Mike Napoli dug himself into an 0-2 hole. Napoli struck a pitch to Lance Berkman that had double play written all over it. But the ball was a little too hot for Berkman to handle and he had to bounce the ball to Elvis Andrus, who was then late on the relay to first. The lumbering Napoli called himself safe as Ellsbury came home to tie the game at three.
Jun 6, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) watches his three run home run during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. The Boston Red Sox won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Andrew Bailey cleaned up the top of the ninth, to give the Sox the opportunity in the bottom half of the inning needing only one run to win it. Texas brought in LHP Michael Kirkman to face Gomes, who gets paid to hit lefties. Gomes took Kirkman’s first pitch to left-center for a double to start the inning with a bang.
What happened next is truly a head scratcher. Okay, sure, with Pedroia up, Ortiz to follow and Napoli behind him, there isn’t a safe way out of the inning. But with Ortiz on deck, Ron Washington called for the intentional walk of Dustin Pedroia. With two men on, Ortiz made good on Washington’s walk, and launched a three run shot into the bullpens to give the Sox the 6-3 win.