I know that we all passed around an industrial size bottle of bleach after last season ended for the Red Sox-thereby erasing most of that nightmare. However, one of my only positive and lasting memories from the miserable 2012 campaign was Cody Ross. Tonight, in his first game back at Fenway Park with the Diamondbacks he went 4 for 4 with two doubles, a solo homer, two runs and three RBIs as Arizona (56-53 overall, 26-29 away) beat Boston (66-45 overall, 37-21 home) 7-6.
Believe it or not, the Red Sox had a great chance at notching their third consecutive walk-off win as Stephen Drew (2 hits, 3 RBIs) and Jacoby Ellsbury (2 hits, triple, run) were on first and second with one out but Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler got Shane Victorino to fly out and Dustin Pedroia grounded out to end the threat and game.
Boston lost because Jon Lester (4.1 innings, 6 earned runs, 11 hits) went back to his dark place after two great outings in a row. The best player in MLB that you've never heard of-Paul Goldschmidt-gave Arizona a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first. David Ortiz answered with a two-run homer of his own during Boston's first at bat, his 21st of the season came off Diamondbacks starter Randall Delgado (4-3).
The Red Sox took a 4-2 lead in the next inning on a pair of sacrifice flies by Drew and Brock Holt. Lester coughed it up as Ross cut it to 4-3 with an RBI single in the third then Arizona scored three times in the fifth to chase the big lefty. Martin Prado (2 doubles, 2 runs) and Ross had RBI doubles while Jason Kubel (2 hits) ended Lester's night with a run-scoring single.
I can't explain it but Drew has been on a tear the last few weeks (for him) and he came through with a two-run homer, his 8th of the season, to tie it in the sixth. Fittingly, Ross had the last laugh though with a solo homer off Pedro Beato in the seventh.
Arizona had 16 hits, six guys had multiple hits including former Blue Jays star Aaron Hill (2 for 5 with double, 2 runs). Mike Napoli was 2 for 5 with a run in the loss but Boston was held to nine hits.
Scoring figures to be way down tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) as NL rookie of the year/Cy Young candidate Patrick Corbin (12-2) takes on Jake Peavy (8-4) in his Red Sox debut.
UPDATE 8/3: Red Sox recalled reliever Rubby De La Rosa and sent Pedro Beato back to Pawtucket.
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