Boston Red Sox Survive Late Detroit Rally To Win, 6-5

After being shut out by AJ Burnett and C.C. Sabathia over the weeked, the Red Sox offense woke up against the Tiger's Edwin Jackson Monday, collecting a dozen hits, including three home runs, en route to a 6-5 win at Fenway Park.

Accuring just 17 hits in their last three games against the Yankees, the Red Sox had the lead just two batters into the game on Dustin Pedroia’s two-run home run (9).

Shortstop Nick Green hit a solo shot (6) to lead off the second inning, extending the lead to 3-0.  

Three singles later and the lead had grown to four to zip (on a David Ortiz base hit).

Red Sox starter Brad Penny pitched around trouble in the early innings, stranding runners in scoring position in each of the first two frames.  But he failed to escape the fourth inning unscathed.

He hit leadoff hitter Miguel Cabrera and then surrendered a run-scoring triple to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

Third baseman Brandon Inge cut the deficit to two runs with a line drive single into center field.

Detroit cut into the lead yet again in the fifth inning.

Center fielder Curtis Granderson led off the inning with a double, moved to third base on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by left fielder Marcus Thames.

Jason Bay homered (22) in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend the advantage to two runs, but Manny Delcarmen surrendered the lead in the seventh inning.

Catcher Gerald Laird led off the frame with a double. Second baseman Placido Polanco lined an RBI single in front of J.D. Drew in right field. Thames then lofted a wall-ball double to left field to tie the score at five apiece.

Drew and Casey Kotchman sandwiched singles around a Jason bay fly out in the bottom half… Green then drove a sac fly into center field to score Drew, the eventual game-winning run.

Ramon Ramirez surrendered a double to Ordonez and then hit Inge with a pitch to lead off the eighth inning.  The baserunners advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Laird.

After Ramirez struck out shortstop Adam Everett for the second out of the inning, Jonathan Papelbon was brought in to end the threat.

Pappy retired Granderson to end the inning and then set the Tigers down in order to earn his 28th save (in 31 save opportunities).

Manager Terry Francona said: “We desperately needed to find a way to win a game, and we did”.

With the win, the Sox gained a game on the Yankees, who lost to Toronto… they moved a half-game ahead on Texas in the wild-card standings.

Penny (ND) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk in six innings pitched.

Jackson allowed more than three earned runs for the first time in 17 starts.

Jacoby Ellsbury (pictured) stole his 51st base, the third highest single-season total in Red Sox history. He is close to setting a franchise record—Tommy Harper had 54 SB in 1973 (Tris Speaker had 52 in 1912).