Game Information
| Stadium | Fenway Park, Boston, MA |
| Attendance | 38,172 (103.3% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:01 |
| Weather | 71 degrees, cloudy |
| Wind | 8 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Gerry Davis, First Base - Angel Hernandez, Second Base - Mike Estabrook, Third Base - Todd Tichenor |
Research Notes
| From Elias: Jacoby Ellsbury had his first 2 career walk-off hits on Tuesday and Wednesday night. The last player to record his first 2 career walk-off hits on consecutive days was Jason Bay of the Pirates on May 24-25, 2008 vs the Cubs. |
| From Elias: FROM ELIAS: Jason Kipnis homered for the 4th straight game Wednesday night at Fenway Park -- his 10th career game. The last player to hit a homer in 4 straight games WITHIN the 1st 10 games of his major league career was Graig Nettles, who did it for the 1968 Twins. |
| ESPN Stats & Information |
Associated Press
BOSTON -- Jacoby Ellsbury never had a game-winning hit before this week.
Now he has two in as many games.One night after his ninth-inning single drove in the game-winning run, the Red Sox center fielder homered with two outs in the ninth on Wednesday to give Boston a 4-3 win over the
Cleveland Indians. "The guy's got us two nights in a row," said Indians reliever
Joe Smith(2-2), who retired the first two batters in the ninth before Ellsbury hit an 0-1 pitch over the wall in straightaway center.Asked if the pitch was where he wanted it, Smith said: "Four hundred and fifteen away to the middle of center? No."
Jonathan Papelbon(4-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Boston, which won for the 10th time in 13 games.
Dustin Pedroiaand
Adrian Gonzalezeach had two hits, and
Tim Wakefieldtook a three-hitter into the seventh but could not collect career victory No. 200.
Jason Kipnishomered for the fourth straight day for Cleveland, which lost for the 10th time in 13 games to fall to .500 for the first time since the fourth game of the year. Starter
Carlos Carrascoallowed three runs -- two earned -- and nine hits and three walks while striking out five before leaving with the game tied at 3 in the eighth inning.
Tony Sippstruck out two in a perfect eighth, and then Smith retired pinch-hitter
Darnell McDonaldand No. 9 hitter
Marco Scutarobefore Ellsbury, who was 0-for-4 so far in the game, came to the plate. Ellsbury, who hit a one-out single to win it on Tuesday, drove it over the high wall in center."I realized it was the ninth inning and I had been 0-for-4 both games. I'm just trying to get on base," he said. "The last two days have been pretty good."Wakefield took a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning with a chance for his 200th win, but he gave up doubles to
Lonnie Chisenhalland
Ezequiel Carrerato tie it. Red Sox manager Terry Francona headed to the mound, leading Wakefield to pound his fist in frustration and drawing boos from the crowd.The fans cheered Wakefield as he left the field, but he did not react. He allowed three runs and five hits and two walks in all, striking out six in 6 2/3 innings."It's hard," Francona said. "I knew what it meant to the fans wanting to see it -- and so do I -- and to him personally. But you do what you have to do to try and win the game."The right-handed knuckleballer, who turned 45 on Tuesday and is the oldest active player in the majors, will have another chance at becoming the 108th pitcher with 200 wins -- the 89th since 1900 -- is expected to come on Monday or Tuesday night.Carrasco, who had lost five straight starts, was suspended six games and fined $2,500 for throwing at the head of the
Kansas City Royals'
Billy Butleron Friday night. He said he would drop his appeal and begin the suspension after Wednesday night's game.Game notes
The teams are back for game four of the series on Thursday night, when newly acquired starter
Erik Bedardwill face former Red Sox pitcher
Justin Masterson. Masterson is 3-3 with a 1.76 ERA in his past 11 games (10 starts). He was part of the deal that brought
Victor Martinezto Boston at the 2009 trade deadline. In three career starts against his former team, he is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA. ... Bedard only went 1 1/3 innings and gave up five runs in his previous start, for the
Seattle Marinersagainst the
Tampa Bay Rays-- his first start since coming off the DL (sprained left knee). ... To make room for Jimenez on the roster, the Indians optioned left-hander
David Huffto Triple-A Columbus. ... Indians outfielder
Michael Brantleywas given the night off to rest his sore right wrist. ... Kipnis is the first Indians rookie to homer in four straight games since Al Rosen in 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... Pedroia was the AL player of the month for July, with 46 hits in the month. ... Scutaro was back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday's game with dizziness. ... The last Red Sox batter with game-ending hits on consecutive days of the regular season was Butch Hobson in 1978, though
David Ortizdid it in the 2004 playoffs against the
New York Yankees.
Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
Newly acquired Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez smiles during a news conference prior to the... (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) |
With back-to-back walk-offs, Red Sox CF Jacoby Ellsbury is looking like he's reached the superstar level, writes Gordon Edes. 
