Terry Francona Signals, Jon Lester Sizzles in BoSox Win

Red Sox outfielder Josh Reddick stood there poised for the pitch from the White Sox surprising Philip Humber, but meekly watched, barely moving his hands.

Pending execution, Saturday's game was getting ready to be over.

Here’s the scoop!

Carl Crawford led off the top of the fifth inning for Boston with a solid single to right.  Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski short-hopped his throw on Crawford’s steal into center field.  Crawford ambled on over to third, delivered by Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s double to the gap in right-center.

So comes Reddick to the plate.

Long-time White Sox broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson points out to his viewing audience that Reddick has one job to do.

The by-the-book move here is to bunt the runner over, sacrificing your first out—especially with an inexperienced guy at bat.

The Old School preaches that you play more conservatively (for an insurance run) than aggressively (for the big inning) on the road.

But Reddick just stood there, didn’t move his feet to square around. Nothin’.

He’d been given the take sign, no doubt.

Hawk and his partner remained silent, curiously surprised, even suspicious, perhaps.

Neither team had so much as threatened up to this point in a briskly played pitchers’ duel, one of those “Who’s gonna blink first?” sort of games.  Good baseball.

Well, Chicago had flinched, if not blinked, on the Crawford steal, particularly shortstop Alexei Ramirez who shied away from the short-hop.

Saltalamachia's hit put them in a small hole.

Boston Manager Terry Francona was ready to rattle the cage.

On the 1-0 pitch, Reddick did indeed bunt, and a beauty.  Again he didn’t move his feet to square around, simply dropped the bat's barrel on the ball.

The defense froze ever so slightly, just enough.  Safe at first.

Game over!

Young Mr. Humber didn’t last the inning, Hawk taking us to commercial talking about a crooked number.

Red Sox starter Jon Lester kept the Pale Hose at bay through eight innings of a 10-2 Red Sox victory.

Interestingly, in Reddick’s next at-bat the following inning when he was allowed to swing away, he popped up to short center field.

Sometimes on a pitch when nothing happens, everything changes.

As the Hawk, and his buddy Ned Martin before him, have been known to say, “Mercy!”