Miller Solid in Red Sox Debut as Offense Routs Padres Bullpen

Sports Illustrated

Red Sox 14 Padres 4

Winning Pitcher: Matt Albers (2-3)

Losing Pitcher: Cory Luebke (1-2)

Recap

Although I thought his praise was overdone on Twitter after the game, and he wasn't able to get the win, Andrew Miller looked very solid in his Red Sox debut Monday at Fenway against the Padres. He came out with a scoreless first, including a lead-off strike out, and the Red Sox offense came through in the bottom of the inning. David Ortiz came to the plate in his first at bat with one out and the bases loaded, and after an epically long at-bat, he delivered a base hit to knock in the first run of the game. The offense continued in the third, when Ortiz knocked in yet another run, and the Red Sox had an early 2-0 lead with Miller dealing on the mound. One inning later, after Padres starter Wade LeBlanc loaded the bases without recording an out, the Padres called upon long relief lefty Cory Luebke. He gave up a run, but it was on a double play and it would be the only run given up in the inning. Miller continued to be locked in until he entered the sixth inning. He led off the inning giving up a single and a walk, and then allowed a game-tying homer to Orlando Hudson (his first of the year). After giving up a deep double to Anthony Rizzo, who was traded to San Diego in the Adrian Gonzalez deal, Miller was pulled in favor of Matt Albers. His final line was 5.2 IP, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, 3 walks and 6 strike outs. The bottom of the seventh was the inning when the Sox offense exploded. With Dustin Pedroia on first, Adrian Gonzalez started the outburst with an off the wall double to score Pedey. Then, with the bases loaded and two outs, Marco Scutaro and Jason Varitek were each hit by a pitch, giving the Red Sox a three run lead. The two out rally continued on, with the Red Sox eventually scoring ten runs in the inning. Amazingly, they did all of this with no home runs. There would be a bit more scoring, but that seventh inning explosion gave the Red Sox the victory.

Home Runs

Boston: None

San Diego: Orlando Hudson (1)

The Red Sox and Padres continue their series tomorrow night at 7:10 PM ET. Boston will send Alfredo Aceves (3-1 3.30) to the mound (in place of the sick Josh Beckett) against San Diego's Mat Latos (4-8 4.06).