Red Sox Drop Fourth Straight, This TIme to Pirates

Sports Illustrated

Pirates 6 Red Sox 4
Winning Pitcher: Jess Karstens (5-4)
Losing Pitcher: Tim Wakefield (4-3)
Save: Joel Hanrahan (22)


Recap
The Pirates used a four-run fourth inning to win the second game of this series against Boston, this time by a score of 6-4. Once again, the Red Sox started their scoring early, starting with a Dustin Pedroia walk. Pedroia then stole second, and moved to third on a bad throw from catcher Mike McKenry. Adrian Gonzalez continued his RBI tear with a ground out to short, which was able to score Pedey. Tim Wakefield, pitching where he started his big league career, looked good in the first couple of innings, retiring the first six batters. In the top of the third, Gonzalez continued to hit, this time blasting a solo home run to center, giving the Sox an early 2-0 advantage. The problems for Boston started in the bottom of the fourth, in which the offense got started by an infield single from the dynamic Andrew McCutchen. After a Neil Walker walk, Lyle Overbay gave the Pirates the lead with a shot to the right center bleachers, and the score was now 3-2. After Ronny Cedeno was able to double, Wakefield gave up an RBI single to the pitcher, Jeff Karstens. In the next inning, with runners on second and third, Dustin Pedroia let a soft ground ball go right through his legs, and the Pirates extended their lead to 5-2. The Red Sox were able to crawl within one in the 7th, thanks to a couple of solo homers from Josh Reddick and Jacoby Ellsbury. However, the Pirates got an insurance run from a Garrett Jones homer in the bottom of the inning, and held the 6-4 advantage until the end.


Home Runs
Boston: Adrian Gonzalez (16), Josh Reddick (1), Jacoby Ellsbury (9)
Pittsburgh: Lyle Overbay (6), Garrett Jones (8)


The Red Sox and Pirates finish off their series today at PNC at 1:25 PM ET. Boston will send Andrew Miller (0-0 4.76) to the mound against Pittsburgh's James McDonald (5-4 4.86).