G77: Red Sox 5, Mariners 0

Red Sox  - 000 032 000 - 5  9  1
Mariners - 000 000 000 - 0  2  0

Aaron Cook (9-2-0-0-2, 81) pitched a two-hit shutout and the Red Sox slugged four home runs. Cook faced only 28 batters. It was the third shutout of Cook's 11-year career.

Cook's sinker resulted in 15 outs on the ground. And he was extremely economical, throwing only 31 pitches through the first four innings and finishing with a Madduxian 81 (6-8-12 5-11-10 12-9-8). It was the fewest pitches thrown in a complete game this season.

The last pitchers to throw a nine-inning complete game with fewer pitches? Luke Hochevar with 80, on June 12, 2009, and Aaron Cook with 79, on July 1, 2008.

Hector Noesi (5-7-5-1-0, 87) kept Boston in check for four innings until Will Middlebrooks and Cody Ross hit back-to-back home runs to deep left to start the fifth. Ross's shot went into the second deck. Two outs later, Daniel Nava crushed a solo dong to right.

David Ortiz opened the sixth with a double to right-center and Jarrod Saltalamacchia clubbed a first-pitch, opposite-field homer to left. ... Boston left the bases loaded in the ninth inning.

Cook retired the first nine Mariners before Ichiro Suzuki reached on an infield hit that Dustin Pedroia fielded in front of second base; Ichiro was quickly erased on a double play. Dustin Ackley reached first on an fielding error by Mike Aviles to start the sixth, but did not advance. John Jaso singled to right field in the eighth. Those were Seattle's only baserunners.

The Yankees lost to the White Sox 14-7, while all of the other East teams won. Boston remains tied for third, 5.5 games out of first.

Aaron Cook/ Hector Noesi

Nava, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Saltalamacchia, C
Gonzalez, 1B
Middlebrooks, 3B
Ross, RF
Kalish, CF
Aviles, SS