G67: Red Sox 2, Rays 1

Red Sox - 002 000 000 - 2  5  0
Rays    - 000 001 000 - 1  6  1

Alfredo Aceves (6-4-1-4-3, 84) pitched six strong innings and Daniel Nava capped a 10-pitch at-bat in the third inning by jacking a two-run dong, his ninth home run of the season.

Aceves's one bad inning was the second, in which he walked the bases loaded, but escaped unscathed. He allowed a walk and single to start the third, but struck out Kelly Johnson and got Evan Longoria to ground into a double play. Longoria tagged him in his next at-bat, however, driving a pitch over the wall in center, giving him a home run in each game of the three-game series.

With two outs in the top of the third, Jacoby Ellsbury singled to left. Rays starter Chris Archer (4-4-2-4-7, 103) fell behind Nava 3-0 - and Ellsbury stole second base on ball 3. Archer battled back to a full count and Nava then fouled off five pitches before tattooing a two-run bomb to right. Dustin Pedroia followed with a single and David Ortiz walked, but Mike Napoli struck out to end the inning.

Tampa Bay made some threatening noises in the final two innings. After Johnson doubled off Craig Breslow with two down in the eighth, Koji Uehara came in and fanned Longoria on three splitters (looking, looking, and swinging).

Andrew Bailey surrendered a line drive single off the right field wall to James Loney to begin the bottom of the ninth; Sam Fuld pinch-ran. Bailey threw four balls to Desmond Jennings, but the fourth one was called a strike, a gift that allowed Bailey to retire Jennings on a fly to center on the next pitch. (I still want robots, but thank you, Ron Kulpa.) Bailey then struck out Luke Scott and, after Fuld stole second, Jose Lobaton to end the game.

Mike Carp went 2-for-4. Ellsbury singled, walked twice, and stole two bases.

Alfredo Aceves / Chris Archer

Ellsbury, CF
Nava, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Carp, LF
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Drew, SS

As expected, Alfredo "Eyes of Satan" Aceves has been recalled from Pawtucket to start tonight. Jose De La Torre, who pitched 3.1 innings in relief of Jon Lester last night, was optioned back to AAA.

Aceves last pitched for the Red Sox on May 27, when he allowed one run in six innings in a spot start against the Phillies. ... He has made five starts this season for the PawSox and as a 3.52 ERA.