The Red Sox bats exploded for 12 runs in Game 1 of the ALDS, and Game 2 at Fenway Park provided another stellar offensive performance from the home team.
David Ortiz went yard twice, eight out of the starting nine recorded a hit and Jacoby Ellsbury finished the day with three hits and three runs. The Red Sox will now take a commanding two-game lead down to Tampa for Game 3 on Monday in hopes of finishing off the Rays and starting to prepare for the ALCS.
The Sox got on the board early Saturday, posting two runs in the bottom of the first as Dustin Pedroia plated Ellsbury on a sacrifice fly and Ortiz launched his first homer of the night. The Rays began to threaten in the fifth, cutting the deficit to only two runs, but the Sox’ bullpen got the job done.
Craig Breslow, Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara shut down the Rays’ hopes of a comeback, and the Sox cruised to a 7-4 victory. John Lackey didn’t have his best stuff, giving up four runs on seven hits, but the Sox’ offense once again stole the show, and Boston was able to stack up nine hits off of David Price.
Clay Buchholz will take the mound Monday night.
