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Monster Ball: Gonzalez lifts Red Sox over O's in 9th

May 17, 2011 - 4:56 AM Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth, as Boston overcame a six-run deficit to take an 8-7 victory over Baltimore in the opener of a two-game set from Fenway Park.

Kevin Gregg (0-1) walked Jacoby Ellsbury with one out, and after he stole second, Dustin Pedroia also worked a base on balls. Gonzalez then took an offering the opposite way off the Green Monster, bringing home both runners to end the contest.

It made a winner of Alfredo Aceves (1-0), who allowed one run and two hits in three relief innings.

Gonzalez ended up with three RBI, while Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek knocked in two runs each for the Red Sox, who were coming off a weekend road sweep of the Yankees.

For the home team, it was their largest comeback victory since falling behind 6-0 against the Yankees and winning 16-11 at Fenway on April 25, 2009. Boston also moved above the .500 mark for the first time all season at 21-20.

Mark Reynolds homered and drove in two runs for the Orioles, who had won two of three at Tampa Bay. Vladimir Guerrero finished 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI in defeat.

Adam Jones singled home Guerrero in the sixth to make it 6-0, but the Sox offense awoke in the home half with five runs against two O's pitchers. Baltimore starter Chris Tillman had held the Sox in check to that point, yielding just five hits and three walks over five scoreless frames.

Mike Gonzalez gave up a base hit to J.D. Drew and RBI double to Jed Lowrie. Reynolds mishandled a Carl Crawford dribbler to put runners on the corners and Varitek singled home another run.

Against Jeremy Accardo, Pedroia flied out before Gonzalez brought in Crawford with a base hit, and Youkilis followed with a two-run double down the left field line for a 6-5 game. Clay Rapada walked David Ortiz but got Drew to ground out to end the threat.

Reynolds atoned for his mistake in the seventh with a long leadoff homer to deep center, but Varitek singled in Lowrie in the home portion to again bring the Sox within one.

Derrek Lee's double and a Guerrero groundout put the O's up by two in the first inning. Guerrero then began the third with a base hit and later came in on a Matt Wieters single to make it 3-0.

Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was forced from the game in the fifth after issuing two walks with one out. Scott Atchison came on and allowed an RBI single to Reynolds and J.J. Hardy's sacrifice fly for a 5-0 Baltimore advantage.

Matsuzaka was charged with five hits, five runs and seven walks over 4 1/3 innings.

Game Notes

The Red Sox improved to 38-12 at Fenway against the Orioles since June 2, 2005...The comeback victory occurred on the night former Sox shortstop Jerry Remy returned to the broadcast booth after an extended absence due to pneumonia...Gregg now has three blown saves this season...Prior to the game, the Red Sox placed starter John Lackey on the 15-day disabled list and recalled Atchison from Triple-A Pawtucket...The seven walks were the most issued by Matsuzaka since he issued eight bases on balls in a 4-3 loss to Kansas City on May 27, 2010.