August 9, 2008
Sox Pound Chicago, Buerhle
Boston 14, Chicago 5
After slumping through the past month, the Red Sox found a good time to get their bats warmed up. As the Yankees dropped their eighth game in their last ten earlier in the afternoon, Boston chased Chicago starter Mark Buerhle after one-plus innings of work.
Manny Ramirez started the Sox off with a solo home run in the top of the first. After a walk to David Ortiz, Rafael Furcal connected on his third home run with Boston to put the Sox ahead 3-0. An A.J. Pierzynski solo shot in the bottom half of the inning off Tim Wakefield cut the lead to two runs, but the Sox were just getting warmed up. In the top of the second, a pair of singles by Dustin Pedroia and Josh Bard set up Andruw Jones to deliver a three-run home run to push the Sox ahead 6-1 and quicky end Buehrle's night.
In addition to showing off is bat, Rafael Furcal showed off his great fielding in Boston's rout of the White Sox
Octavio Dotel, who retired all three batters he faced in the second, led off the third inning by allowing a single to Ortiz. Rafael Furcal followed with a two-run home run that traveled 420 feet. Mike Lowell followed with a double before moving to third on a groundout by Dustin Pedroia. Josh Bard reached on a walk. Dotel managed to strike out Andruw jones for the second out of the inning, but Coco Crisp lined a double to right-cetner, scoring Lowell from second. Crisp's hit marked the end of the night for Dotel. Adam Russell followed out of the 'pen and was greeted with a two-RBI double by Kevin Youkilis. After hitting Manny Ramirez with a pitch, Russell managed to get a groundout by David Ortiz to end the inning.
Carlos Quentin added a three-run home run in the bottom of the third to cut the Red Sox lead to 11-4, but Tim Wakefield was able to rebound and last into the seventh inning.
Bobby Jenks came in early for White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, threw three and a third innings of relief, his longest outing of this career. In the seventh, Jenks surrendered a RBI-single to Rafael Furcal and, in the ninth, after loading the bases, a RBI-single to Julio Lugo before Eric Wasermann retired Dustin Pedroia to end the Sox scoring.
Manny Delcarmen and Javier Lopez pitched the final two and a third innings of relief, allowing just one hit while securing the victory for Boston.
W: Wakefield (11-7) L: Buehrle (5-11)
Player of the Game: Rafael Furcal (3-5, 2 HRs (11), 5 RBIs)
Around the League:
...P Hisashi Aikyo (20 GS, 7-6, 4.95 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) was designated for assingment by the Texas Rangers...