Guardians 2 - 3 Red Sox
Final
  for this game

Ellsbury's hit in ninth sends Boston over Cleveland

Aug 3, 2011 - 7:36 AM

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Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Jacoby Ellsbury singled in the game-winning run in the ninth inning to send the Red Sox over the Indians, 3-2.

Boston wasted Dustin Pedroia's leadoff single in the eighth, but got consecutive one-out base hits in the ninth by Jason Varitek and Josh Reddick and cashed in on the chance when Ellsbury lined one to center off Vinnie Pestano (1-1).

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, pinch-running for Vartiek, slid in head first in front of Ezequiel Carrera's off-line throw to help the hosts rebound from Monday's 9-6 loss in the opener of this four-game series.

"Those are exciting," said Ellsbury. "To end the game like that with a 'W' on one swing of the bat."

Boston's Josh Beckett lasted six innings and yielded a pair of solo home runs to Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall. The right-hander allowed six hits, did not issue a walk and struck out seven.

Jonathan Papelbon (3-0) earned the win.

"[Beckett] was just getting his pitches across and pounding the zone, and working both sides of the plate. It's tough to adjust to that," Chisenhall said.

Following a one-hour, 35-minute rain delay to start the game, Kipnis hit a fly ball to right-center that barely eluded Darnell McDonald's glove and landed in Boston's bullpen for the rookie's third home run in as many games.

David Ortiz tied things in the second by scoring on a wild pitch, but it was the only run the Red Sox pushed across after loading the bases with their first three hitters.

Chisenhall took Beckett deep down the right-field line for a 2-1 lead in the fourth, only to have Kevin Youkilis answer with a leadoff blast off the Sports Authority sign above the Green Monster in the sixth.

The homer came off Rafael Perez because David Huff needed 102 pitches to get through five frames. Huff gave up an unearned run and three hits in the no- decision. He walked two and fanned six.

Game Notes

Boston's Tim Wakefield turned 45 on Tuesday...Pedroia has hit safely in each of his last 24 games at Fenway Park...Boston first baseman Adrian Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 12 games...Youkilis was ejected in the eighth for arguing a swinging strike...Huff was on the other end of a no-hitter by the Angels' Ervin Santana in his previous start.






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