Four Real? Sox come back again, defeat Houston 8-8-13

Sox come back for second time in two games, win 7-5

Another game, another comeback. If you haven't been watching much baseball this summer, you wouldn't know just how exciting this year's Sox team is. Boston just continues to get the job done, despite the lack of protection for Papi and average starting pitching. The Red Sox have delivered in many clutch situations all year, and have already surpassed their win total from 2012. Let's go deeper into the four at bats that changed Wednesday night's game:

1) Two Strikes, You're Safe. In the bottom of the third inning, Boston has a 2-0 lead. Pitcher Ryan Dempster retired seven of the first eight guys he faced, but he hits a snag in the third. Jake Elmore hits a ground rule double down the right field line on a 2-2 pitch, and then Robbie Grossman crushes a 1-2 fastball deep over the right field fence to tie the game. Dempster let the Astros creep back into the game because he failed to retire either batter when he had two strikes on them, and his failure to do so has this game tied at 2.

2) Killer 3's. The score stayed tied at two until the sixth inning, when Houston broke the game open. The Astros score three runs off of three hits, as Sox killer Robbie Grossman doubled then moved to third on a wild pitch. Jose Altuve crushed a ball to third, but all Brock Holt could manage to do is knock the ball down. Grossman was able to score on the play to give the 'Stros the lead. Jason Castro doubled to right to score Altuve, then Marc Knauss hit a sacrifice to score Castro. 5-2 Astros and it looks as if the Red Sox may lose the series to the worst team in baseball.

3) Call him Captain Clutch. With Mike Carp on first after a single, Jonny Gomes steps to the plate against Josh Zeid. Zeid throws Gomes a low and inside fastball, and Gomes cracks it into the left field bleachers, putting the Sox within one, 5-4.


4) Rally Starters. In the top of the ninth, Boston needed a run to stay alive. They got more than they bargained for. David Ortiz walked and was replaced on the bases by rookie reliever Drake Britton, then who else but Jonny Gomes walked to put two men on for Stephen Drew. Drew waited on the high curveball, then turned at the perfect time to put the ball about 7 rows deep into the right field bleachers. 7-5 Sox.


Koji Uehara came on in the ninth and again took care of business for his 11th save in 14 chances. Dempster pitched poorly for the second time in a row, but clutch performances by Drew and Gomes kept him from taking the loss. Boston plays Kansas City Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium at 8:10pm when Bruce Chen takes on Jon Lester.

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