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Ellsbury plays hero again as BoSox down Indians

Aug 4, 2011 - 5:38 AM

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Boston, MA (Sports Network) - A day after delivering a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth, Jacoby Ellsbury played the role of hero again.

This time, the Boston center fielder launched a two-out, solo home run in the ninth to lift the Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.

Joe Smith (2-2) replaced Tony Sipp to begin the inning for the visitors. After pinch-hitter Darnell McDonald and Marco Scutaro both grounded out, Ellsbury crushed an 0-1 pitch to the seats above the center field wall.

Boston manager Terry Francona initially doubted if Ellsbury had come up with his second consecutive walk-off hit.

"Off the bat, it didn't look like it was high enough," Francona said.

Indeed, it did have the distance.

For Smith, it was the first home run surrendered by the right-hander in 46 appearances out of the bullpen this season.

Tim Wakefield, who turned 45 on Tuesday, had a chance to give himself a belated birthday gift, but the veteran knuckleballer failed in his second attempt for career win No. 200. He was lifted from the game in the seventh after Cleveland's Ezequiel Carrera tied the game at three with a ground-rule double.

Ellsbury's career-best 18th home run of the year made a winner out of Jonathan Papelbon (4-0), who tossed a perfect inning of relief.

Looking to avoid a sixth straight losing start, Indians hurler Carlos Carrasco picked up a no-decision after allowing three runs -- two earned -- on nine hits in seven-plus innings. Carrasco is expected to drop his appeal for his six-game suspension as the result of throwing at the head of Kansas City's Billy Butler last week.

"Unfortunately we didn't execute offensively, 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "When you're playing against a team like that, you have to play close to perfect."

Boston jumped out to a 2-0 lead in its first trip to the plate. Carrasco gave up a single to Adrian Gonzalez and a double to Kevin Youkilis after retiring the first two batters. David Ortiz then slapped a run-scoring single to left field. A fielding error by Austin Kearns enabled Youkilis to come home as well.

The Indians pulled even in the fourth. Jason Kipnis opened the frame by extending his home run streak to four games with a blast to right field. Asdrubal Cabrera singled and Travis Hafner hit a chopper over the head of Red Sox first baseman Gonzalez for an RBI double.

Boston quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Scutaro grounded into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded.

Wakefield gave up a leadoff double to Lonnie Chisenhall in the seventh. A wild pitch moved him to third before Wakefield's 99th and final pitch was sent hopping into the right field seats by Carrera.

Game Notes

Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was named the American League Player of the Month for July, has now hit safely in each of his last 25 games at Fenway Park after a 2-for-4 performance...Gonzalez extended his hit streak to 13 games...Wakefield gave up five hits, walked two and struck out six in 6 2/3 innings.






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