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July 21, 2007
BOSTON – Kason Gabbard put on another dominating performance yesterday, and Coco Crisp continued his hot streak as the two led Boston to an 11-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park.
Gabbard, fresh off his complete-game three-hit shutout against Kansas City, limited Chicago to just three hits and one run in seven innings of work.
He received a standing ovation by the sellout crowd for his outstanding performance. Gabbard is 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA in six games for Boston this year where he has limited his opponents to a .184 batting average.
“To have him pitch back-to-back games like that is very impressive,” Boston manager Terry Francona said of Gabbard, who has allowed exactly three hits in each of his last four starts.
“He was huge for us,” Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia said of Gabbard. “He goes seven innings and dominated.”
“I just made the pitches when I had too and got guys to swing early [in the count],” Gabbard said. “…I do the same thing every time I go out there and pitch. I try to throw strikes, mix my pitches, and go from there.”
Crisp led Boston at the plate by going 3-for-4 with career-tying five RBI. Crisp also had five RBI against Tampa Bay on July 5.
“He’s a very dangerous hitter,” Francona said of Crisp.
Crisp has hit safely in 25 of his last 29 games, batting .370 (40-for-108) with five doubles, five triples, four homers, 22 RBI, and 19 runs scored. He is ranked third in the American League in triples with seven.
“He’s huge,” Pedroia said of Crisp. “He sparks our team. Defensively he’s the best centerfielder in baseball and on offense he makes things happen. Once he gets on base, he can go at any time. It’s fun to watch.”
Crisp didn’t just produce at the plate yesterday. In the second inning he ran down a hard hit Juan Uribe line drive in deep center field and caught it to save a run.
“The guy’s defense has been phenomenal from day one,” Francona said. “That’s about as good a centerfielder as you’ll want to see. He’s catching everything.”
While Crisp provided more than enough runs for Gabbard, it was Chicago that struck first.
In the top of the second inning, Chicago leadoff hitter Paul Konerko hit a line drive to left field. Wily Mo Pena, like a deer in headlights, froze.
He got a late jump on the ball, dove for it, and it bounced under his glove. By the time he got the ball into the infield, Konerko was standing on second base. The play was initially ruled a two-base error on Pena but then got changed to a double for Konerko.
Josh Fields drove him in with a double he sliced down the right field line to give Chicago the early 1-0 lead.
Chicago’s lead didn’t last long.
After Boston loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second, Danks threw five straight fastballs to Crisp to get ahead in the count, 1-2. He then threw two straight change-ups and Crisp made him pay on the second one.
Crisp lined a single to left field that scored Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell as the Red Sox went ahead, 2-1.
The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning when J.D. Drew, with a runner on first and second base, extended Boston’s lead to 3-1 with an RBI double he hit down the right field line, scoring Ramirez. Chicago intentionally walked Lowell which loaded the bases for Jason Varitek.
Varitek hit into a fielder’s choice grounder to third. Chicago third baseman Josh Fields threw home and got the force out at home plate to save a run.
Crisp, however, delivered again for Boston, ripping a two-out single to left field that scored Youkilis. Drew tried to sprint home from second base on the play but he was thrown out at the plate by Chicago left-fielder Andy Gonzalez.
Boston scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to break the game open.
After loading the bases, Chicago relief pitcher Boone Logan walked Drew to force in a run which gave Boston a 5-1 advantage. Chicago then brought in Dewon Day to pitch but the result was still the same. Day walked Lowell and Varitek with the bases loaded to force in two more runs.
Crisp then hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run single up the middle to give Boston a 9-1 cushion. Hinske followed that up with a two-run triple that ricocheted off of the right-field wall.
Rob Mackowiak drove in a run for Chicago in the top of the ninth inning before Boston closed the door on the White Sox.
--ROB LEE
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