Finally Some Clutch Hits

The Red Sox finally got some clutch hits on Monday night, specifically from Dustin Pedroia and Eric Hinske, and they went on to win by a final score of 7-3. After two straight games of watching rallies sink into the mud and having double-digit totals of men left on base, the Red Sox finally came through when it mattered most.

Pedroia doubled in two runs in the third to put the Red Sox on the board, and Hinske tripled in three in the fifth with two outs (finally a two-hit hit to drive someone in) to basically put the game away.

Kason Gabbard pitched four no-hit innings before Brad Wilkerson (doesn't he bare a resemblance to Jonathan Papelbon?) hit a long three-run shot to put Texas back in the game. Gabbard pitched 5 2/3 innings, and the combo of Mike Timlin, Javier Lopez, Kyle Snyder and Hideki Okajima shut Texas down to get a split of the four-game series.

But the play of the night was Jacoby Ellsbury scoring from second on a wild pitch by Willie Eyre in the fourth inning. He just turned on the jets and made it, as the throw from the catcher was low. Ellsbury has been exciting to watch so far, and he beat out an infield hit last night as well. He's been compared to a young Johnny Damon, I can certainly see why (he even looks a little like him). Speedwise, he's in the same league with Julio Lugo and Coco Crisp. Ellsbury has certainly left a very good impression, and it will be interesting to see what the Sox do when Crisp returns to the lineup (which could be tonight). You have to figure he will go back to Pawtucket at some point, so he gets more playing time. (And these games show how far Wily Mo Pena's stock has dropped, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone soon.) But so far, Ellsbury's been a breath of fresh air, and figures to be the Red Sox centerfielder of the future.