After four scoreless innings and one out in the top of the fifth, Jacoby Ellsbury came to the plate. And on a 2-1 pitch he lined to right. Ellsbury could have been out at second except Gutierrez bobbled the ball and the throw got away from the 2nd baseman. Gutierrez got the error and allowed Ellsbury to land on 2nd with just one out.
Lugo was up next and his second single of the night moved Ellsbury to 3rd. Then the new kid came to the plate. He'd already struck out once, but this time things went a little differently. The first pitch he lined just foul down the first base line. The second he grounded to the shortstop. It looked like the end of the inning and another blown opportunity for the Sox. But instead of the double play, Lowrie's speed allowed him to reach first and Ellsbury scored. While Lowrie didn't get a hit, he did get his first RBI and put the Sox on the board with their first run of the night.
Then in the 7th it started again. But this time instead of the score reading 0-0, it now read Sox 1, Indians 2. The Tribe had the lead, Youkilis was up and Jorge Julio had taken over the mound. Youkilis walked on four pitches. Ellsbury walked on five. And that was the end of Julio. Rafael Perez didn't fare much better when he took over. Somehow Lugo made it to first on a bunt bid that popped up but wasn't caught and now the bases were loaded with Lowrie coming to the plate.
All it took was four pitches. The first two were strikes, the third Lowrie lined foul down the 3rd baseline. The fourth was another strike, but this strike took a trip through the infield, past the diving shortstop and ended up in short left. That ground ball got Youkilis and Ellsbury across home, gave the Sox a 3-2 lead, and landed Lowrie on first. The rookie got two more RBI's and his first hit in the big leagues. (Since his earlier RBI was scored as a fielder's choice, this was the one that counted and the ball he'd take home.) Lowrie would come to bat once more in the game and strike out. But three RBI's for his debut should make the rookie very proud and the Fenway Faithful happy to know there's another man to back up Lowell during inter league play.
While the Indians would come back to tie it up in the 7th, and a pinch homer from Varitek in the 9th are what everyone's talking about, the final out by Ellsbury is what I remember. Another spectacular catch from the 24 year-old who makes so many it's almost expected. This time around there were no amazing dives or spectacular dodging of chairs in the visitors bullpen. This time it was a sprint toward the seats and a catch that actually took the ball away from a first row spectator. No fan interference here. Ellsbury had that ball in his glove and there would be no argument from the Tribe. That catch saved the victory and guaranteed the sweep.
Now onto the Bronx and a two-game series against the evil empire. But this time around the Sox are a game ahead and have won four games in a row. With Buchholz and Wang facing each other for the second time, it's going to be a great game.
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