Well, John Lackey got off a dubious start last night, allowing a three-run shot to Eric Hosmer in the first inning. 3-0 KC. Oh brother, here we go...
But the Red Sox powerful offense came to Lackey's assistance, as Jacoby Ellsbury both hit home runs: Ellsbury off the Pesky Pole and Pedey into the Monster Seats. Dustin now has hit in 24 straight games.
The Sox added three more in the second, and were off to the races. And the first Red Sox grand slam of 2011 (can you believe that?) was hit by David Ortiz in the five-run fourth inning, and that made it 10-3. It also marked his 1,000th RBI in a Red Sox uniform, just the fifth player in team history to reach that mark.
Lackey struggled to make it into the sixth, allowing base runners all over the place. It wound up a 12-5 final.
It was a great night for the usual suspects: Ellsbury, Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez each had three hits, and Gonzo 3 RBI, and Jacoby and Dustin with two each.
Carl Crawford missed last night's game, and today as well, with an elbow injury. It doesn't appear serious, and he hopes to be in the lineup in Chicago on Friday night.
Congratulations to the Seattle Mariners on breaking their 17-game losing streak, and doing it especially in the Bronx, with a 9-2 win. The Red Sox now lead the East again by three games, as Josh Beckett will take the mound against the Royals this afternoon.
