G57: Red Sox 7, Orioles 0

Orioles - 000 000 000 - 0  4  2
Red Sox - 222 000 01x - 7  9  1

Buchholz (9-4-0-1-6, 125) pitched his first complete game in a little over two years as the Red Sox salvaged one game from the three-game series against Baltimore. Buchholz's last complete game was also against the Orioles, on June 4, 2010.

Only one Baltimore runner advanced past first base (Chris Davis's second-inning double). Buchholz was aided by three double plays in the first five innings. He did not issue a walk until there was one out in the ninth.

Boston struck early against Matusz (2-4-5-5-0, 67). Two walks and a single loaded the bases in the first inning and Adrian Gonzalez (3-for-4) doubled home two runs. Two walks and a single (again) set the stage in the second for an RBI fielder's choice by Dustin Pedroia; a second run scored on a throwing error.

In the third, Daniel Nava had a two-run single; he also walked twice, and doubled and scored in the eighth. Gonzalez was 3-for-4, and looked in control at the plate. Kevin Youkilis singled, doubled, and walked.

Brian Matusz / Clay Buchholz

Nava, LF
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Middlebrooks, 3B
Gonzalez, RF
Aviles, SS
McDonald, CF
Shoppach, C

G56: Orioles 2, Red Sox 1

Orioles - 000 002 000 - 2  5  0
Red Sox - 001 000 000 - 1  7  0

Adrian Gonzalez and Jarrod Saltalamacchia both singled to start the bottom of the seventh. With Boston trailing by one run, Bobby Valentine decided to have Darnell McDonald bunt. (Coming into tonight's game, the Red Sox were tied with the Angels with the most sacrifice hits in the American league, with 14.)

Bunt #15 moved the runners to second and third, but it also left the most important at-bat of the inning to Marlon Byrd, who began the night with a .610 OPS (65 OPS+). Byrd promptly struck out on four pitches, lunging outside at strike three. (It wasn't as if there were not other options. Both Ryan Sweeney and switch-hitter Daniel Nava ended up pinch-hitting in the ninth, so they were both available.) With two outs, Mike Aviles popped up an 0-2 pitch to first base.

The Red Sox then had men on first and second with one out in the eighth, but could not do anything. Will Middlebrooks, who had singled in the second and fourth innings, flied to center and Scott Podsednik grounded to first.

In the third inning, McDonald doubled, took third on Byrd's single, and scored on Aviles's line out to right.

Beckett ((8-5-2-0-5, 92) pitched a superb game, but he allowed three consecutive singles to start the sixth inning. The third hit - note that Buck Showalter did not bunt - tied the game at 1-1 and a fielder's choice gave Baltimore the lead. Wilson Betemit and Ryan Flaherty scored the Orioles runs. They were the only two Baltimore runners to advance beyond first base all night.

Wei-Yin Chen / Josh Beckett

Aviles, SS
Pedroia, 2B
Youkilis, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Middlebrooks, 3B
Gonzalez, RF
Saltalamacchia, C
McDonald, LF
Byrd, CF

Chen, a rookie lefty, had a 2.45 ERA through his first seven starts. In two of his last three outings, however, he has been hit hard: 11 runs in 10 innings against the Nationals and Rays. Opponents are hitting .302/.380/.587/.968 over the three most-recent games.

Beckett has pitched at least seven innings in each of his last four starts (2.20 ERA in 28.2 innings, with 20 strikeouts and an opponents' OPS of only .542).

Bard Demoted To AAA; Matsuzaka May Join Rotation On Saturday

Daniel Bard - who has allowed 96 baserunners in only 54.1 innings - did not think he belonged in Pawtucket (AAA).

Bobby Valentine:

He thought he could find it on the fly. We just felt the best thing for the organization and Daniel was to get him in an environment where he can work on that mechanic and not worry about the big league record and his teammates.

The Red Sox say that Bard will remain a starter, but that could easily change. Daisuke Matsuzaka could rejoin the rotation as early as Saturday, taking what would have been Bard's spot against the Nationals.

Last night, Dice pitched 1.1 innings for the PawSox, throwing 40 pitches and allowing one run on three hits and two walks. Valentine: "He didn't have a very good performance, but I think he was a little distracted. Short outing, it was planned to be short."

Bard has a 5.24 ERA in 11 games this season. He admitted after his last start that he has been thinking about his mechanics too much.

It's that I allowed something to happen when I switched roles. It's that maybe we tried to turn me into a starter rather than just taking the same pitcher I was out of the pen and moving that guy to the rotation. That's probably what should have been done. It's partially my fault. It's all my fault. It's a matter of getting back to what I had success doing in the past.

(It took Bard (and McClure, and Valentine) 10 starts to realize this?)

Bob McClure:

I think he can start. I might be one of the few that thinks that he can. But I really do. No. 1, he needs to keep it simple. He's a power pitcher with two plus pitches and perhaps a third one. Anyone who can throw 100 pitches like he could with the ease he was doing it at one point definitely has the possibility of starting. ... It might be better to pitch him every other day or two innings at a time. We need to find what's best for him.

Dustin Pedroia said he was fine wearing his thumb brace, but that he nearly got knocked out by David Ortiz's elbow when Tiz was celebrating with Jarrod Saltalamacchia after Salty's ninth-inning home run last night.

I'm just not used to it, but my last few at-bats I felt more comfortable. I was seeing the ball better, my timing was better, so build on that tomorrow and try to do something to help us. ... The only problem I had was when Salty hit the home run, David elbowed me in the face. ... That hurt, man ... They did a great job with [the brace] and they formed it to my bat. I'm using a little different model bat, not using maple so I don't have any impact on my hands.

Salty Stats: In 19 games (since May 13), Saltalamacchia is hitting .350/.409/.767 for a Bondsian 1.176 OPS. His .917 OPS for the season is second on the team, behind Ortiz (.981).

G55: Orioles 8, Red Sox 6 (10)

Orioles - 002 001 300 2 - 8 15  1
Red Sox - 000 022 002 0 - 6 11  1

Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit an opposite field, game-tying home run over the Wall with two strikes and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Alfredo Aceves, working in his second inning, walked the leadoff man in the tenth and allowed three consecutive singles, as the Orioles scored twice and won the first game of a three-game series.

Boston trailed and rallied to tie the game or take the lead a total of three times, but they could not muster a fourth, going down in order in the bottom of the tenth.

Both Salty and Mike Aviles had three hits; Daniel Nava scored two runs. Scott Podsednik was on base four times, with two singles, a walk and a ROE. ... The bigger bats in the lineup - Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis - went 1-for-17.

Lester (6-8-4-1-5, 99) had a forgettable outing; two of the four runs he allowed were unearned. The trio of Scott Atchison, Matt Albers, and Aceves allowed seven hits and four runs in four innings.

The Red Sox (28-27) are back in fifth place in the AL East.

Jason Hammel / Jon Lester

Podsednik, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 3B
Saltalamacchia, C
Sweeney, RF
Nava, LF
Aviles, SS

Based on each team's runs scored and runs allowed, here is what you would expect the AL East standings to look like today:

            W   L   GB   RS   RA   DIFF   ACTUAL / GB
Yankees    29  24  ---   249  226  + 23    29-24  1.5
Red Sox    29  25  0.5   283  261  + 22    28-26  3.0
Blue Jays  29  25  0.5   260  238  + 22    28-26  3.0
Rays       29  25  0.5   230  212  + 18    31-23  ---
Orioles    27  27  2.0   236  236  +  0    30-24  1.0

Tonight: Rays/Yankees, Blue Jays/White Sox

G54: Blue Jays 5, Red Sox 1

Red Sox   - 000 010 000 - 1  6  1
Blue Jays - 320 000 00x - 5  6  0

From the Department of "It Sure Sounds Dominant": Bard threw 55 pitches - and the Jays put only three of them into play!

Unfortunately, the reason for the lack of contact was Bard's extreme wildness. In his worst outing of his career, Bard faced only 13 batters; he walked six of them, and hit two others. He did not finish the second inning: 1.2-1-5-6-2, 55. (He is the first pitcher (since 1918, that is) to pitch fewer than two innings and have 6+ BB and 2+ HBP.)

Bard walked the first two Jays in the first, then watched as Jose Bautista slugged his 14th home run of the year. He then walked Edward Encarnacion on four pitches. A visit to the mound must have cleared his head, because Bard quickly got a double play and a fly out.

In the second, Bard (again) walked the first two batters, but then got two strikeouts. Then he hit Yunel Escobar to load the bases, walked Bautista to force in a run, and hit Encarnacion to give the Jays a 5-0 lead. And that was the end of his afternoon.

Franklin Morales (a career-high 4.1 innings) did a superb job of keeping the Blue Jays quiet - he was helped out in the fifth when Daniel Nava gunned down Brett Lawrie trying to stretch a double into a triple - but Hutchison (7-5-1-1-5, 109) was too much for the Red Sox bats. (He also hit two batters - Kelly Shoppach in the third and Kevin Youkilis in the sixth - but I was unable to watch the game, so I don't know what the degree of retaliation was.)

When the Red Sox got anything resembling a rally going, there was usually already two outs on the board. Shoppach hit an opposite field solo home run with two down in the fifth. The Red Sox put the next two men on, but Adrian Gonzalez popped out. They had two on with two outs in the sixth, but Mike Aviles flied to left.

The Red Sox are off tomorrow before beginning a three-game series at home against the Orioles on Tuesday.

Daniel Bard / Drew Hutchison

Podsednik, CF
Nava, LF
Gonzalez, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 3B
Sweeney, RF
Aviles, SS
Punto, 2B
Shoppach, C

Bard says he made some slight adjustments to his motion since his last start.

[I'm] just staying in my delivery better. I made a couple of tweaks, nothing major, but just a couple of things to keep everything on time, to keep my arm in the same slot. I made those tweaks in my side session three days ago and felt really good about it coming out of that.

Perhaps those adjustments can cut down on Bard's atrocious walk rate (5.2 BB/9). Bard has had more walks than strikeouts in five of his last six starts.

The Story Behind The "Yankeedouche" Gif

If you've ever wondered, "Who are these guys?", SundownMotel has the story.

Pedroia Says He'll Be Back On Tuesday

Dustin Pedroia took batting practice at Skydome on Saturday and announced that would be back in the lineup on Tuesday night against the Orioles at Fenway.

I'm ready to go. They're making me wait until after [Monday's] off day. That's the plan, but if an emergency happens, I'll be ready. ... I hit today on the field and I felt normal. Once I come back on Tuesday, there's not going to be a problem. I'll be out there every day.

The team has not issued any official statement.

G53: Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 4

Red Sox   - 040 100 011 - 7  8  2
Blue Jays - 001 110 010 - 4  9  2

Nick Punto went 3-for-4, including an RBI double in the second and a mammoth home run (above pic) into the second deck in right-center. Doubront (6.1-7-3-1-7, 101) held the Jays in check (after wriggling out of a bases loaded jam in the third) and the Red Sox moved into fourth place. Since May 11, Boston is 16-6.

With two outs and Jarrod Saltalamacchia on first in the saecond inning, Ryan Sweeney singled, Will Middlebrooks singled (1-0), Punto doubled (2-0), and Daniel Nava singled (4-0).

In the fourth, Kevin Youkilis doubled and took third on Jose Bautista's error; he scored when Middlebrooks hit into a double play.

David Ortiz singled with one out in the eighth and moved around to third as Salty and Yook both walked. With the bases loaded, Ortiz scored on Sweeney's grounder to first.

Punto began the ninth with his first home run of the year - and the 15th dong of his 12-year career - and was given the silent treatment in the dugout. Punto had three hits, and no other Sock had more than one. Sweeney (single, two walks) and Nava (single, walk, HBP) were both on base three times.

It was the fourth game in Punto's career (917 games) in which he had at least three hits, including a home run.

Felix Doubront / Kyle Drabek

Nava, LF
Aviles, SS
Gonzalez, RF
Ortiz, DH
Saltalamacchia, C
Youkilis, 1B
Sweeney, CF
Middlebrooks, 3B
Punto, 2B

G52: Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 2

Red Sox   - 011 001 400 - 7 15  2
Blue Jays - 001 000 100 - 2  7  0

Clay Buchholz pitched eight strong innings (8-6-2-2-7, 108), Daniel Nava went 4-for-5, with three doubles and three runs scored, and Adrian Gonzalez (3-for-5) and David Ortiz (2-for-3) each drove in two runs.

In his last five starts, Buchholz has a 3.98 ERA.

Ortiz began the scoring with his 13th home run, a shot to left-center in the second inning.

In the third, Nava doubled with two outs and Gonzalez singled him in. Nava began the sixth-inning rally, as well. He singled, Gonzalez doubled, and Ortiz walked, loading the bases. Jarrod Saltalamacchia - the only Sock without a hit - grounded into a fielder's choice, and Nava scored (3-1).

Ryan Sweeney doubled to open the seventh, and after two were out, he scored on Scott Podsednik's single (4-1). The Sox put the game away in short order: Nava doubled (5-1), Gonzalez singled (6-1) and Ortiz singled (7-1).

The Blue Jays scored their runs on two solo home runs. ... Scott Atchison pitched the ninth inning.

Clay Buchholz / Henderson Alvarez

Podsednik, CF
Nava, LF
Gonzalez, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Saltalamacchia, C
Middlebrooks, 3B
Sweeney, RF
Aviles, SS
Punto, 2B

The Red Sox are on a short three-game road trip north of the border. The Blue Jays (27-24) finished a three-game sweep of the first-place Orioles and are 2 GB both Baltimore and Tampa Bay. The Red Sox (26-25) are 3 GB. According to run differential, the Blue Jays are the top team in the AL East. Toronto won two out of three against the Red Sox earlier this season (April 9-11).

Boston will play with a short bench tonight, but may make a decision on Dustin Pedroia's right thumb this weekend. Or they may not. Bobby Valentine: "No one new is coming with us [to Toronto]. We have a plan. We don't want to put the plan in until we need to. I suspect before the weekend is over there will be another infielder, but maybe not."

Pitchers for this weekend (both games at 1 PM):

Saturday: Felix Doubront / Kyle Drabek
Sunday: Daniel Bard / Drew Hutchison

G51: Tigers 7, Red Sox 3

Tigers  - 003 010 012 - 7 14  0
Red Sox - 021 000 000 - 3  7  2

Miguel Cabrera's fifth-inning single scored Quintin Berry and snapped a 3-3 tie, as the Tigers avoided a four-game sweep. The Tigers later put the game on ice with three runs off the bullpen, highlighted by a triple from Prince Fielder.

After Ryan Sweeney gunned down Delmon Young trying to score on a fly ball to right in the top of the second, Boston got on the board. Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered (#10) over the Red Sox bullpen, Sweeney singled, and (two outs later) Scott Podsednik doubled to straightaway center.

Unfortunately, the Tigers came right back against Beckett (7-10-4-1-1, 102). Don Kelly singled and Danny Worth doubled. Berry (3-for-5, 2 runs, 2 steals) singled in one run and Brennan Boesch's sac fly tied the game. Fielder's single scored Berry for a 3-2 Detroit lead.

Boston tied the game in its half of the third when Kevin Youkilis doubled with two outs and scored on Salty's single.

Mike Aviles singled to begin the fourth - and that was the last Red Sox hit of the night. The next 19 batters managed only one walk (by Nick Punto, in the seventh).

Detroit padded its lead when Young (3-for-5) homered off Franklin Morales in the eighth. In the ninth, facing Rich Hill, Cabrera singled with two outs and stole second, Fielder tripled, and Young singled.

Max Scherzer / Josh Beckett

Podsednik, CF
Nava, LF
Gonzalez, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 3B
Saltalamacchia, C
Sweeney, RF
Aviles, SS
Punto, 2B

A decision on whether to put Dustin Pedroia on the disabled list is expected by Monday, so the Red Sox will apparently play with a two-man bench until then. Bobby Valentine says Pedroia is day-to-day, but he is not allowed to swing a bat until the swelling around his right thumb subsides.

Despite having 12 men on the disabled list (and Pedroia could be #13), they have won 14 of their last 19 games. This is the only American League game on the schedule tonight.

            W   L   GB    RS   RA  DIFF
Orioles    29  22  ---   230  222  +  8
Rays       29  22  ---   216  206  + 10
Yankees    27  23  1.5   226  212  + 14
Blue Jays  27  24  2.0   249  223  + 26
Red Sox    26  24  2.5   265  243  + 22

Double Snowmen

May 30, 2012 - Seattle at Texas

Mariners  - 0 8 8  1 0 0  0 4 0 - 21 20  1
Rangers   - 0 0 0  0 0 5  2 0 1 -  8 13  1

Seattle became the seventh major league team to score at least eight runs in consecutive innings. Only four of those games have occurred since 1900:

May 2, 1901 - Boston at Philadelphia

Americans -  2 9 10  0 0 0  0 0 2 - 23 21  4
Athletics -  2 0  2  1 2 0  0 0 5 - 12 18  3

July 29, 1928 - New York at Cleveland

Yankees   -  1 0 1  1 0 0  0 0 3 -  6 15  3
Cleveland -  8 9 1  0 0 6  0 0 x - 24 27  1

May 5, 2001 - Los Angeles at Chicago

Dodgers   -  0 0 0  0 0 1  0 0 0 -  1  6  3
Cubs      -  0 0 0  4 0 0  8 8 x - 20 18  0

(Thanks to Elias.)

G50: Red Sox 6, Tigers 4

Tigers  - 102 000 100 - 4 12  0
Red Sox - 000 400 11x - 6 12  0

Adrian Gonzalez's second ground-rule double of the night scored Daniel Nava, snapping a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning. Kevin Youkilis offered a bit of padding with an eighth-inning solo home run and Alfredo Aceves, appearing in his fourth straight game, picked up the save. Aceves has thrown 68 pitches in the last four games.

The Red Sox - 14-5 over their last 19 games - may still be in fifth place, but they are only 2.5 GB the Orioles.

Lester (6.2-10-4-0-7, 120) had a rough first three innings. He allowed three singles and a run in the first, and a double and triple and two runs in the third. But he found a groove, and kept the Tigers at bay while his mates took the lead in the fourth.

Smyly (6-8-4-0-4, 86) set down 10 of the first 11 Boston batters, but had trouble with the middle of the order the second time through. With two outs in the fourth, Gonzalez doubled to right-center and David Ortiz - after getting something out of his eye - homered (#11) to dead center. Youkilis singled and Will Middlebrooks smoked a line drive over the Wall in left for a two-run homer (#6), giving the Red Sox a 4-3 lead.

In the top of the seventh, Lester started to crumble. Alex Avila singled off the Wall and was called out trying for a double (replays on Fox Detroit showed Avila was safe). Gerald Laird followed with a hard-hit double to left-center. Bobby Valentine came out to the mound, but left Lester (at 116 pitches) in the game. It was a gamble, and it paid off, as Lester struck out Quintin Berry. Valentine then brought in Matt Albers. Andy Dirks reached on an infield single to third; Laird had to stay put at second. Miguel Cabrera (4-for-5, 3 doubles) lifted a pop-up down the right field line. Gonzalez tried to make a sliding basket catch near the foul line, but could not hold onto the ball, and Laird scored, tying the game at 4-4. After intentionally walking Prince Fielder to load the bases, Albers got a ground ball for the third out.

In the home half of the seventh, Kelly Shoppach and Nick Punto both struck out before Nava walked, Mike Aviles singled, and Gonzalez doubled, giving the Sox a 5-4 lead.

Drew Smyly / Jon Lester

Nava, LF
Aviles, SS
Gonzalez, RF
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 1B
Middlebrooks, 3B
Byrd, CF
Shoppach, C
Punto, 2B

Can the Red Sox raise their record to two games over .500? Gotta keep thinking big...

To do so, they have to beat "Guy" Smyly, who is in only his second professional season, having rocketed through A+, AA, and AAA last year. He got off to a fantastic start this year, but his last three starts - 12 runs in 14.2 innings - are more in line with a 22-year-old rookie finding his way through the league(s). Smyly, a lefty, has a very respectable 3.14 ERA and appears to be on a pitch limit of 90-100.

Also: Lars Anderson hit an absolute moon shot last night that sailed into Pawtucket's electronic video board in right-center, smashing several lights.

Pedroia Has Torn Muscle In Thumb, Hopes To Avoid DL

Dustin Pedroia has a torn adductor muscle in his right thumb and is hoping a padded brace will enable him to swing a bat. If not, he will be on the disabled list for three to four weeks.

Right now we're waiting to see how I feel the next couple of days. My swelling has gone down, the bruising in my thumb has gone down, so we'll just wait and see if I could play. If I can protect it when I hit, we'll be all right. Hopefully, I heal quick and I can get back out there and soon as I can. My ligaments and tendons are fine. It's the only muscle in the thumb. I have to wait for it to calm down and see if I can hit with a splint or a brace or something. ... If I can't do it, I think it's three or four weeks.

Over the last two weeks, since May 14, Pedroia hit only .232/.267/.250, and 12 of his 13 hits during that time were singles.

Michael Silverman, Herald:

One scout who has been following Pedroia said it has been obvious that something has not been right the way the right-handed hitter keeps flaring balls to right field. You need the right thumb to pull the ball and roll the right hand over and Pedroia has not been doing that, the scout said.

The Red Sox's medical staff and an independent doctor in Arizona all agreed that Pedroia did not suffer any ligament or tendon damage and will not require surgery.

Scott Lauber, Herald:

Pedroia has been coping with discomfort for about three weeks after being jammed on an inside fastball. He had been using extra padding on his thumb and even changed his grip during batting practice. The situation was aggravated on a swing earlier in Monday's game, not on the diving stop that Pedroia made in the fifth inning, a play that preceded his exit from the game.

Silverman says that he believes that

both the team and Pedroia realize that after the attempt is made and due diligence is conducted, cooler heads will prevail and make the wise decision that playing through this particular injury would be foolhardy.

Schadenfreude 130 (A Continuing Series)

May 29

May 30

G49: Red Sox 6, Tigers 3

Tigers  - 000 011 100 - 3  9  1
Red Sox - 010 310 10x - 6 11  0

25-24!  One game over .500, and only 3.5 GB in the AL East.

Daniel Nava's three-run, opposite-field double with two outs in the fourth inning - off a 100-mph fastball - was the big blow against Verlander (6-10-5-1-7, 105), who allowed 10 hits for the first time in 50 starts, dating back to September 2, 2010. It was also only the third time in his last 63 starts that Verlander allowed as many as five runs.

After Nava's double, the Tigers tried to inch closer, but the Red Sox simply put more runs on the board.

Jhonny Peralta hit a solo home run off Bard (5.1-5-2-2-4, 94) in the fifth. Bard ended that inning by striking out Miguel Cabrera with two men on. In the home half, David Ortiz doubled home Adrian Gonzalez to give the Red Sox a 5-1 lead. (Ortiz doubled and scored in the second.)

Prince Fielder launched a bomb to right-center to open the sixth. Detroit then put two more runners on base, but Scott Atchison retired Ramon Santiago on a bloop liner to second to hold the lead at 5-2. Fielder singled home a run in the seventh, but Ortiz answered that with his 11th home run of the year, a line drive that just cleared the Wall in left.

Rain delayed the game in the eighth inning for 38 minutes. Afterwards, Alfredo Aceves issued a one-out walk in the ninth, and nailed down the save.

Justin Verlander / Daniel Bard

Nava, LF
Sweeney, RF
Gonzalez, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 3B
Saltalamacchia, C
Aviles, SS
Podsednik, CF
Punto, 2B

Bard, on the pitching match-up:

I'm excited about it. Pretty cool. I don't have to stand in the box against him, which I'm happy about. Offensively, we're swinging it good for the most part lately. Hopefully they can give me three or four runs and we can win with that.

For the seventh time this season, the Red Sox will try to get over .500:

 W- L     THEN...
.0- 0  -  lost 2-3
10-10  -  lost 1-4
11-11  -  lost 3-5
21-21  -  lost 1-4
22-22  -  lost 4-7
23-23  -  lost 3-4
24-24  - 

Tonight, it's .510 or bust!

G48: Red Sox 7, Tigers 4

Tigers  - 010 010 002 - 4  7  0
Red Sox - 131 001 01x - 7 13  0

A swinging strike 3 by Mike Aviles should have ended the second inning with the score 1-1. But first base umpire Bill Welke ruled that the Aviles's bat had touched the ball and that the ball had hit the ground before Gerald Laird caught it.

Welke was dead wrong on both counts (Tigers manager Jim Leyland and third-base coach Gene Lamont were both ejected), and the Red Sox took full advantage of his gift, scoring three times before the inning ended a second time, enabling them to coast to victory.

Allowed another crack at Fister (5-11-6-1-2, 89) Aviles lined a single to left-center, bringing home Ryan Sweeney (3-for-4). Daniel Nava scored Aviles with a double to dead center and Pedroia knocked in Nava with a hard hit single of Prince Fielder's glove at first base. 4-1, Boston!

From that point, it was a relaxing, care-free afternoon. Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered in the third, Will Middlebrooks added an RBI-single in the sixth, and Aviles doubled in another run in the eighth.

After the game, Welke admitted that he blew the call:

What looks crystal clear [on video] didn't look crystal clear from the first-base line.

Leyland:

There shouldn't have been a second-inning rally. There's three outs. I've been in the game a long time. When the catcher catches the ball and it's strike three, you're out. It's that simple, isn't it? ... You guys [reporters] have to write something and hold people accountable. You know what, we're all accountable in this business. ... There should not have been a rally in that inning. ... A ridiculous [expletive] call, not just a bad call or a maybe call but a [expletive] ridiculous call. Write the [expletive] thing. That's all. I protect the umpires more than anybody, but [expletive], it's a ridiculous [expletive] call.

Doubront (6-4-2-1-6, 95) turned in a stellar performance, allowing two solo homers. Scott Atchison struck out four Tigers in two innings of work. Alfredo Aceves allowed a two-run dnog to Jhonny Peralta in the ninth, but that only delayed the celebration by a few minutes. Once again, the Red Sox are at .500 (24-24).

Dustin Pedroia jammed his right thumb diving for a ground ball in the top of the fifth and was pulled from the game. There was no immediate word on how serious the injury is.

Doug Fister / Felix Doubront

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

Ryan Sweeney may return to the lineup today. He suffered a concussion making a diving catch against the Phillies on May 19. Sweeney's return may end Adrian Gonzalez's time in right field, and re-open the debate of whether Will Middlebrooks should be in Boston or Pawtucket. (Kevin Youkilis is 6-for-16 (.375) since coming off the DL.)

The Red Sox - 11-5 since May 10 and 23-24 overall - host the Tigers for a four-game series. This is the latest the Red Sox have been under .500 since August 23, 1996. After starting the year 9-3, Detroit has gone 14-21. The Tigers are in third place in the AL Central, 3 GB Cleveland.

G47: Rays 4, Red Sox 3

Rays    - 000 100 102 - 4  9  0
Red Sox - 000 000 300 - 3  7  1

Alfredo Aceves blew his first save opportunity since April 21, as Sean Rodriguez hit a two-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth.

Buchholz (7-8-2-1-6, 111) turned in his best start of the season. Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run dong for Boston. Gonzalez also batted with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, but grounded out to shortstop.

The Red Sox went in order in the ninth. ... Kevin Youkilis and Scott Podsednik each had two hits.

Jeremy Hellickson / Clay Buchholz

G46: Red Sox 3, Rays 2

Rays    - 000 000 200 - 2  4  0
Red Sox - 000 001 002 - 3  9  1

Pinch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia's two-run home run off Fernando Rodney in the bottom of the ninth gave the Red Sox their first walk-off win of the season.

With Boston down 2-1, Daniel Nava started the ninth with a walk. Nick Punto bunted him to second and then Saltalamacchia batted for Marlon Byrd. Salty blasted an 0-1 pitch over the Red Sox bullpen in right-center.

Josh Beckett (7-4-2-0-5, 91) allowed only one base runner through the first six innings.

Daisuke Matsuzaka for Pawtucket: 5-1-0-1-2, 56.

David Price / Josh Beckett

The Rays comment on the Luke Scott HBP. Joe Maddon:

I'm kind of curious regarding who put out the hit, because I know it wasn't one of their players. By the way their players reacted to the entire situation, I knew it did not come from them. It's kind of incompetent behavior ... [T]he people that were incensed obviously they're the ones that were probably behind the effort, the really weak, cowardly effort on their part. Did I say that strongly enough? Did I make my point?

G45: Rays 7, Red Sox 4

Rays    - 004 300 000 - 7  8  1
Red Sox - 100 012 000 - 4  4  1

Lester (4-6-7-3-4, 81) gave up three home runs. Matt Joyce hit a grand slam with two outs in the third and Elliot Johnson and Carlos Pena went back-to-back in the fourth. (In his first nine starts this season, Lester had allowed a total of four homers.)

Kevin Youkilis singled home Mike Aviles to give Boston an early 1-0 lead. Down 7-1, Scott Podsednik singled to start the bottom of the fifth, stole second, and scored on Adrian Gonzalez's double.

Although Boston cut the lead to 7-4 in the sixth - Marlon Byrd and Aviles had the RBIs - the Red Sox went in order in each of the final three innings, failing to hit even one ball out of the infield.

Franklin Morales hit Luke Scott with a pitch with two out in the top of the ninth. Scott took about four or five steps towards the mound, and the benches and bullpens emptied. Words were yelled, but no punches were thrown.

Alex Cobb / Jon Lester

Aviles, SS
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Gonzalez, 1B
Youkilis, 3B
Saltalamacchia, C
Nava, LF
Byrd, RF
Podsednik, CF

The Red Sox have won 10 of their last 13 games and Bobby Valentine says that if they keep playing well, "we're going to win a championship".

Laugh if you want, but Gordon Edes points out that since April 21, when Boston blew a nine-run lead to the Yankees,

the club is 18-12, the third-best record in the American League in that span, behind just the Baltimore Orioles (20-10) and Tampa Bay Rays (19-11). That's a winning percentage of .600. Overall, the Sox are now 22-22. If the Sox maintain that .600 pace, they would go 71-47 over their final 118 games, leaving them with a total of 93 wins.

Pawtucket: Darnell McDonald begins a rehab assignment tonight. Daisuke Matsuzaka will start on Saturday. I guess that issue with his neck wasn't all that serious!