G66: Red Sox 7, Cubs 4

Red Sox - 200 100 310 - 7 12  2
Cubs    - 101 001 001 - 4  8  2

Franklin Morales (5-4-2-0-9, 80) struck out a career-high nine batters in his first start since April 2009. Of his 80 pitches, 65 were strikes. He went to one or no balls to 14 of his 19 batters.

In the first, Scott Podsednik singled and Dustin Pedroia doubled him in. One out later, David Ortiz singled and the Red Sox led 2-0. Ortiz hit his 16th tater of the season in the fourth.

With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh, the Red Sox jumped on Shawn Camp, the first man out of the Chicago bullpen. Darnell McDonald doubled and pinch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled. Camp left and James Russell took over. Ryan Kalish singled in one run and pinch-hitter Will Middlebrooks's fly ball to deep center brought in another. Then Daniel Nava laid down a squeeze bunt, and Boston led 6-3.

Alfredo Aceves allowed three singles to start the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases and bringing the potential tying run to the plate for the Cubs. One run scored on a sac fly to center, but then Aceves struck out Reed Johnson and got Darwin Barney to pop out to third. It was a piece o' cake.

Franklin Morales / Paul Maholm

Podsednik, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 3B
Ortiz, 1B
Aviles, SS
McDonald, RF
Shoppach, C
Kalish, CF
Morales, P

UPDATE: Ryan Sweeney was placed on the disabled list ("a toe issue" sayeth the Globe) and Ryan Kalish was called up to take his place. Sweeney is the 372nd Boston player to go on the DL this season. (Gordon Edes tweets that Sweeney has "a sesamoid bone issue in the big toe on his left foot Can't push off at plate. Been bothering him for three weeks". It's a condition that goes back to 2005.)


Since coming back from his thumb injury on June 5, Dustin Pedroia is hitting .133/.216/.156 in 51 PA. ... The bullpen has allowed only two runs in its last 21 innings. ...

Cody Ross played in his first rehab game on Saturday, going 1-for-3 as Pawtucket's DH. ... Mark Prior's pitching line in five games with the PawSox: 6.2-3-0-4-15.