“It’s a testament to the work we have done all year”.
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The win moved the Red Sox into sole possession of first place in the American League East for the first time since July 21 as the Blue Jays lost to the Yankees earlier on Wednesday. “He squared some balls up”.
Ramirez’s homer came in the eighth off Jake Smith’s first major league pitch.
Price controlled the rest of the game comfortably, striking out eight to six scattered hits and no walks.
Price extended his streak to wins in six straight starts to improve to 15-8. He threw 98 pitches with 76 going for strikes.
Three relievers finished off the Padres, with Craig Kimbrel getting the final out.
Cosart landed awkwardly after leaping to catch Wil Myers’ erratic throw while covering first base on Jackie Bradley Jr.
“Not really sure which one is worse right now”, Padres manager Andy Green said after his team’s 7-2 loss.
But on Moncada’s first night in uniform, Shaw made a statement with a five-RBI night in Oakland, his fourth five-RBI game of the season. Dustin Pedroia added a two-run double for the 5-2 lead that was more than enough for Price.
The game see-sawed into a 2-2 tie after three innings before an errant toss by Padres first baseman Will Myers resulted in the departure of Cosart and triggered a three-run Boston fourth. “I was holding my own against one of the best pitchers in baseball and was finally getting in a good rhythm and I just hit a bump in the road”.
The game was scoreless when Boston’s Sandy Leon opened the fourth by beating the Padres’ shift with a flawless bunt to third bringing Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley to the mound to talk to Clemens.
Carlos Villanueva replaced Cosart and immediately gave up back-to-back singles to Chris Young and Shaw, the second hit scoring Bradley with the tiebreaking run.
The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the first against Price on a two-out single by Myers, who scored from first on Yangervis Solarte’s perfectly-placed double. Myers had reached on a single. The Red Sox have done a remarkable job of wasting their opportunities to pad their record against weaker opponents with split series against the likes of the Twins and Angels and White Sox.
Buchholz (6-10) was making his first start since August 23 as his last three appearances came out of the bullpen.
“Our rotation, with Clay being put in Sunday, seems like one guy passing it off to the next guy”, Farrell said Wednesday night. “Whenever my name is called I try to go out and give our team the best chance that I can to win, and I’m feeling good right now”.
Red Sox: RHP Steve Wright got a second opinion on his sore right shoulder on Tuesday, which confirmed there was no structural damage and that he is suffering from bursitis.
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (19-3, 3.23) opens a three-game series in Toronto on Friday.
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Padres: LHP Clayton Richard (1-3, 3.29) gets the nod as the visiting Colorado Rockies arrive on Thursday. The righty threw a 1-2-3 inning, and the fastest pitch he threw was 86.7 mph, per BrooksBaseball.net, with his fastball sitting at 85.7 mph.
