Long Balls Lift Pirates Over Sox

The Red Sox offense which had seemingly been asleep for the last three games woke up with a bang against the Pirates. But it wasn't enough, as the Bucs hit four long balls to top the Sox 9-7.

David Ortiz got the scoring started in the first inning, continuing his hot streak by launching a 2-run homer deep over the wall in right. He would get another hit in the 6th before being replaced with a pinch runner. The Sox scored again in the 3rd on back-to-back doubles by Dustin Pedroia and Victor Martinez. Both went 1-3 on the day.

The Pirates struck back quickly, though, as Beckett had trouble putting away the Bucs batters despite getting ahead on most of them. Ryan Doumit lead off the 2nd with a double and was driven in by a line drive by Andy LaRoche. In the 3rd, Iwamura hit a groundball past Pedroia and was driven in by a Garret Jones double. Beckett was chased from the game with just 1 out in the 4th after giving up a 2-run shot to Delwyn Young. Scott Atchison had similar troubles in the 5th, giving up another 2-run homer to Garret Jones (the first runner had reached base on an errant throw by Tug Hullet).

The Sox staged a rally in the 7th off of Vinnie Chulk. Jeremy Hermida led the inning off with a solo shot. Bill Hall followed with a double on the very next pitch before Reddick doubled to left (Navarro, running for Hall, had to wait for the ball to drop, and only ended up on third). Chulk would give up back to back walks to score Navarro, and Aaron Bates would drive in a 3rd run with an infield single. The Sox had an opportunity for more with the bases loaded and 1 out, but Pirates first baseman Brian Myrow made a great play on a hard hit ball, and turned the double play to end the inning. The Pirates would manage 2 runs off of Jorge Sosa, and one of Tazawa thanks to a couple more homers, putting the game out of reach.

Notes:

• David Ortiz has 7 hits, a walk, and 2 home runs in his last 11 plate appearances since starting out 1-for-19.
• John Farrell's son, Jeremy Farrell, subbed in at 3rd base for the Pirates today.
  
• Scott Atchison's earned run in the 5th inning was his first of the year.
• The Red Sox would have had the tying run at 3rd with 1 out for Josh Reddick's fly out in the 8th, but Yamaico Navarro got caught trying to take 2nd on a fly out the play before.
  
• Mike Cameron was gunned down at home twice. Once from the infield trying to score from third on a Martinez ground out, once from the outfield trying to go from 1st to home on Pedroia's double.
• The Sox have lost 5 straight since coming within percentage points of first place in the Grapefruit League. I'm sure we're all devastated.