The Sox seem to have an odd tendency to pull off wins in games that should be absolutely hopeless.
Maybe it has something to do with CC Sabathia's inability to give up fewer than six runs to the Red Sox. Today that number was seven.
Maybe it's because of the three MVP candidates they have batting 1-3. Today, as it has usually been of late, it was Jacoby Ellsbury doing the work, driving in six runs, including three on a fourth inning homer that really blew the game open.
Or it could just be because we still assume that John Lackey starts are unwinnable, when they've been quite acceptable of late. In the past three weeks, he's knocked off James Shields, King Felix, and CC Sabathia. That's some trio.
He had his issues today, to be sure, digging himself a big hole in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing the first three batters to reach in both frames. But he buckled down each time, and allowed just three of the six baserunners to score, holding the Yankees scoreless in the other four innings to pick up a quality start. It's hard to ask for much more given the competition.
While Ellsbury was the key to the offense today, you can't overlook the contributions of Carl Crawford, either. The much-maligned left fielder picked up a hit in each of his four at bats, with only one even being on the ground (and then it was reasonably hard hit). Crawford started the rally in the third that scored the first two runs with a double off the wall, singled home the first run of the fourth, and singled, stole second, and scored yet again in the eighth. A good day at the office, to say the least.
With the win, the Red Sox have secured at least a tie in the season series against the Yankees. Josh Beckett will face off against Freddy Garcia (who has quite the garish ERA against the Red Sox after being destroyed earlier this year) with a chance to secure a series win, and retake the lead in the A.L. East.