After losing 2-0 to MLB's worst team last night then falling behind 5-0 in the second inning tonight at Minute Maid Park, something was seriously wrong with the Red Sox. Luckily they woke up in time to beat the Astros 15-10 in a game that more closely resembled a beer league softball game than professional baseball.
Boston (69-46 overall, 30-25 away) has now equaled its win total from 2012 and I'm going to bet that they'll surpass it this season with 47 more chances to top it. With Tampa Bay's loss, they also moved 1.5 games ahead of the Rays for first place in the AL East. Steven Wright's first career MLB start was a disaster thanks to four passed balls by Ryan Lavarnway and a wild pitch equaled three runs for Houston (37-75 overall, 19-38 home) in the first inning.
The top of the Red Sox lineup was lethal: Jacoby Ellsbury (2 for 4 with 2 HRs, 4 runs, 3 RBIs and 2 walks), Shane Victorino (3 for 5 with double, 4 runs and walk), Dustin Pedroia (2 for 5 with double, 2 RBIs and run) and David Ortiz (4 for 4 with 2 RBIs, 2 runs and walk) were all unstoppable.
It would take forever to recap this game that took 3:54 (and it felt like twice that amount of time). Boston scored five runs in both the fifth and sixth to take the lead for good. Ellsbury's homers were his sixth and seventh of the season and Jonny Gomes (4 RBIs) had a pinch-hit three-run bomb (his fourth pinch hit homer of the season).
Brandon Workman (2-1) got the win in relief despite allowing six earned runs, yep it was that kind of endless night. Robbie Grossman (3 RBIs, 2 runs and walk) had a two-run homer for the Astros with Brett Wallace and Jake Elmore (2 runs) adding solo shots in the soul-crushing loss (in a season full of them).
Rubby De La Rosa made his Red Sox debut in the ninth and looked pretty damn good throwing heat; he had a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts which in this marathon felt like a perfect game.
Ryan Dempster (6-8) faces rookie Jarred Cosart (1-0) in the series finale tomorrow night (8:10, NESN). Given how unpredictable these first two games have been, I honestly have no idea what to expect in that one. Boston is 5-1 against Houston this season and they'll try to end the season series 6-1.
UPDATE 8/7: Matt Thornton was put on the DL today with a right oblique strain so Pedro Beato was recalled from Pawtucket.
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