G45: Red Sox 8, Rockies 3

Rockies - 011 000 100 - 3  6  1
Red Sox - 220 300 01x - 8 12  0

There was almost nothing to complain about in Tuesday's easy win over Colorado.

David Price (7-5-3-1-6, 108) turned in another solid start, lowering his ERA to 5.34. David Ortiz singled, doubled, and drove in four runs. Xander Bogaerts - who began the day leading the AL with a .346 average - singled, doubled, walked, and scored twice. Dustin Pedroia had three singles, a walk, and two runs scored. Christian Vazquez collected his first career triple. And Jackie Bradley hit the first pitch in his first at-bat off the top of the scoreboard in left field for an opposite field double, extending his hitting streak to 28 games. (By the way, Bogaerts has a 17-game streak.)

The only down points: Hanley Ramirez was hit on the right foot by a pitch in the fourth inning and had to leave the game, though x-rays were negative. The Red Sox failed to hit a home run, ending their consecutive game streak with an HR at a franchise record 22 games. And NESN went with a three-man booth, which subjected Red Sox fans to the colossal idiocy that is Steve Lyons. (Lyons may not be the dumbest announcer in baseball, but he's certainly in the IQ-lowering discussion.)

After Price struck out two Rockies in the top of the first, the Red Sox went right to work, as has been their habit this season. Betts was robbed of a hit by a great play in the shortstop hole by Trevor Story (who was less spectacular at the plate, going 0-for-4, with four strikeouts). Pedroia singled off the first baseman's glove and Bogaerts cracked a 2-0 pitch to the wall in left for a double. Ortiz's hard single to left-center scored both FY and XB.

Bradley doubled to start the second and scored on Vazquez's one-out triple to the triangle. Betts brought Vaz in with a sacrifice line out to center. Pedroia and Bogaerts followed with singles, but Ortiz tapped back to the mound. With one out in the fourth, Pedroia and Bogaerts were both walked by Jorge De La Rosa (who started the game with a 10.18 ERA and an opponents' average of .330 and put up an ugly 3.1-9-7-3-1, 69 line). Ortiz again brought both runners home with a double into the right field corner.

After Ramirez was hit on the foot, JDLR was pulled. And the Red Sox offense pretty much shut down after he departed. They went in order in the fifth and sixth and managed only a leadoff walk in the seventh. Facing Chad Qualls in the eighth, Betts singled. He raced to third when Pedroia's bloop fly ball fell safely in short right, then scored when Carlos Gonzalez's throw from the outfield skipped by Nolan Arenado at third.

The trio of Pedroia, Bogaerts, and Ortiz went 7-for-12 (on base in 10 of 15 PA thanks to three walks), scored five runs and drove in four. ... For the 29th time in 45 games, the Red Sox had 10+ hits. The 29 games is tops in MLB. ... The Orioles lost, so the Red Sox (28-17) are alone in first place.

Jorge De La Rosa / David Price

Betts, RF
Pedroia, 2B
Bogaerts, SS
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, 1B
Young, LF
Bradley, CF
Rutledge, 3B
Vazquez, C