The Red Sox finally finished one out! After going missing sweeps by one game against the Athletics, Orioles and Phillies (twice!), and splitting disappointing series against the Royals and Indians, the Red Sox took game three against the Diamondbacks, and swept the series.
Things didn't get off to a hot start for John Lackey, who allowed a run on a two-out walk and double (a trend that would continue for Lackey throughout the game). He would manage a scoreless second, but allow one-a-piece in the third, fourth, and fifth--often from two-out rallies.
The Red Sox offense was always up to the task, though. Facing a 1-0 deficit in the first, Kevin Youkilis drove in Dustin Pedroia from third on a groundout. With a 2-1 deficit in the third, Ortiz hit a two-run bomb to deep center to go up 3-2. After going down 4-3 in the fifth, the Sox tied it with a run in the bottom of the inning, and took a two-run lead on three hits, a walk, and a sac fly in the sixth--a lead they would not give up.
After allowing four runs over six innings, the bullpen had its shot to hold things down. Manny Delcarmen got out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh, and Okajima held the D-backs scoreless in the aeighth before Daniel Nava and Marco Scutaro added two insurance runs. Jonathan Papelbon gave up a run on two hits, but held the lead in the ninth to give the Red Sox the win and the sweep.