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After Rain, Sox Bats Wake Up

Maybe the bats were too dry? After a 2.5-hour rain delay, the Red Sox bats finally woke up in a 7-3 win over the Rays. Clay Buchholz pitched well again, going 5 1/3 innings and only giving up one run on five hits and four walks. He struck out four to help lower his ERA to 3.71. Opposing him was Rays rising star Edwin Jackson, who looked pretty bad in his four innings. He struggled with his command, allowing six runs on nine hits and three walks.

Sox Studs:

• Dustin Pedroia went 3-5 to help the Sox get 13 hits in all. The seven runs scored were more than the previous three games combined. The Sox 2B finished with a run scored and three RBI’s in the win.
• Brandon Moss, playing for the injured-J.D. Drew, went 2-4 with a HR, one RBI, and two runs scored. He has played well when called to action all season. He’s one proof that the Sox minor league system is extremely deep.
• Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the line-up after being out for three games. He reached base three times in five plate appearances, which is everything and more you could ask of your lead-off hitter. He went 1-3 with a single, two walks, an RBI, and a run scored.

Diamond Duds:

• Manny Ramirez has fallen into a mini-slump of his own. He went 0-5 with three strikeouts while the other Sox bats were heating up. I’m not worried about him, slumps come and go for everyone during a season.
• Kevin Youkilis was the only other Sox player without a hit besides Manny, and he has slumped so bad he’s down to a .287 average. He did walk however, which shows his plate discipline is there. That’s a good indication that he could be turning it around.

Picture-Perfect Bullpen:

• This is the bullpen you want to see in a Sox victory. Manny Delcarmen in the seventh, Hideki Okajima in the eighth, and Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth. Sure, Delcarmen got only one out in the seventh, but he emerged last year as the second-best righty out of the pen. The Sox could use another strong bullpen arm, but they’ll take what they have now.

Other Notes:

• The David Ortiz batting average watch: Big Papi went 1-4 with an RBI and a walk, keeping his average steady at .198.
• Mike Lowell went 2-4 as he continues to battle back from his injury.
• J.D. Drew and Coco Crisp will most likely not be in the lineup Saturday due to injury.

Tags: Brandon Moss, Clay Buchholz, Dustin Pedroia, Edwin Jackson, Jacoby Ellsbury, Tampa Bay Rays