via d.yimg.com -- Jason Varitek hit a two-run bomb in the fifth inning.
Thank the Baseball Gods, the Red Sox won a game.
And it looked kind of easy for them. Jon Lester was a stud on the mound, pitching 7.1 innings and allowing just eight hits, no runs, no walks and striking out six. That's a damn good line. With that start he solidified himself as the best starter the Sox have had this season.
Jonathan Papelbon saw some work and shut down the M's. He came in the 8th with one out on the board and threw two pitches to get out of the inning. He went unscatched in the ninth to earn his 29th save.
Offensively, let's thank Jason Varitek who hit a bomb to put the Sox up 2-0 in the fourth. He finished with two hits and a walk. Slump over? No. 9 hitter Jed Lowrie proved his worth as well with a single in the eighth inning that put the Sox up 4-0.
It's nice to see some production at the bottom of the lineup. The bottom four hitters (Kevin Youkilis, Coco Crisp, Varitek and Lowrie) reached base six times via walk, six times via hit and had all four RBIs.
A win is a win, but a sweep against one of the worst teams in baseball is a necessity.
COMMENT OF THE GAME:
"Ellsbury has a high MSI lately ... MSI = Momentum Sucking Index" - Drugs Delaney