Sox end losing streak with dramatic 9th inning, 1-0 win

Sox 1, Toronto 0
WP: Papelbon (1-0)
LP: Halladay (2-4)
SV: None
HRs: None

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox got to dish out a bit of the medicine they had taken over the weekend as they won a thrilling pitcher's duel between Jon Lester and Roy Halladay on a walk-off RBI single by Kevin Youkilis, ending their 5-game losing streak in style.

SUPERSTAR: Dustin Pedroia 0-4, K
How can a guy who went hitless be the star of the game over the man who knocked in the only run of the night?

Easy, because Pedroia's diving stop of a hot liner off the bat of Vernon Wells with a man on 2nd in the top of the 9th not only saved the game but will be featured on every Top Play highlight reel for the next 6 months.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Halladay 8.2IP, 5H, 1ER, 1BB, 6K
He's not a 'loser' in the slang form of the word, but in the literal sense, because for the third time in a row the former Cy Young winner has thrown a complete game and come away as the losing pitcher of record.

That's what I call a tough luck 'loser' (see the connection?)

RECAP:
It's about friggin' time!

That's the thought on the minds of every member of the Nation as the Red Sox finally got a break to go their way and pulled out a game they really needed to have, saving themselves and their fans the humbling experience of losing a third consecutive low-scoring pitcher's duel.

And what a way to break the losing streak - by capping off eight scoreless innings with a tense, exhilarating 9th inning that featured 1/4 of the total of baserunners in the frame (4) as there had been in the entire game (12).

When Scott Rolen lined a double to the Wall off Jonathan Papelbon with two out in the top of the 9th, everyone in chilly Fenway and watching at home had that "here we go again" feeling that is par for the course with the way the games have gone this last week or so.

But then the Little Big Man, Dustin Pedroia, made the play of the game and probably of the year so far, robbing Vernon Wells of a sure hit and probable RBI, and suddenly those feelings of doubt had morphed into a "we're gonna win this thing" mentality.

All the Sox had to do was make it happen.

For eight innings it looked as if no one was going to be able to win this thing, because both starting pitchers were so damn good.

Halladay didn't allow a walk until the 9th inning and had given up just 3 singles until that point - one by Youk in the 2nd, an infield nubber by Brandon Moss in the 5th, and one by Jason Varitek in the 8th - before allowing three baserunners in the 9th that ultimately led to him and his team losing the game.

But as good as Halladay was, Sox starter Jon Lester was even better. Coming off three straight no decisions and two rough starts in a row, Lester (8IP, 1H, 0ER, 4BB, 6K) was nearly unhittable tonight, surrendering four walks and a lone hit - a
leadoff single by Lyle Overbay in the 6th that was just out of the reach of Pedroia's outstretched glove - before giving way to Papelbon in the 9th.

The pitchers were so on the money that neither team could get the ball off the ground against them, with just 4 of the 54 outs being recorded in the air; even the hits were barely a few feet off the ground.

And it was couple of groundball double plays saved Lester and the Sox in consecutive innings. The first came one batter after Overbay's single as Shannon Stewart tapped into a 6-4-3 job one pitch after the single, and the next one came after Greg Zaun had walked in the 5th, courtesy of an inning-ender by David Eckstein.

All that non-action made the game go by very rapidly, and by the time of the 9th inning heroics the game was barely 2 hours old. Talk about a nice change of pace from the multitude of 4+ hour debacles Boston has played this year.

If the game was quick the heartbeats were even quicker in the final frame, especially after the Sox closer entered the game.

Papelbon, who has only pitched twice in the last 9 days, was his usual flamethrowing self, fanning the first two batters he faced as the crescendo of the crowd rose with every pitch.

When he gave up the double to Rolen, who has 5 hits since coming off the DL four games ago, four of them for extra bases, the noise subsided a bit and that feeling of dread started creeping into the back of the mind.

And then Pedroia's play erased any bad feelings and replaced them with screams of joy.

Vernon Wells, who was 0-9 lifetime against Paps coming in, took a strike from the closer before lacing a rocket right past Papelbon's head, nearly taking his ear off as he jerked out of the way.

The ball appeared headed for centerfield, which would have surely resulted in Rolen scoring from second, but then Pedroia appeared out of nowhere, snagged the ball on a hop when it was already past him, popped back up, turned and fired a seed to first to nail Wells by two steps, and Fenway (and living rooms) exploded with shock and awe over what they had just witnessed.

Still buzzing over the play, you'd have to be a fool not to believe the momentum would carry over to the bottom of the inning and Boston would pull out the win. But after Halladay got Coco and Pedroia out on five pitches, the hope was fading fast.

Once again it was up to Boston's big boppers, Papi and Manny, to save the day.

Ortiz, back after sitting two games with a bruised knee sustained in his headfirst slide Friday night in St Pete, did his job by laying off some tough pitches and drawing the first base on balls from Halladay on the night.

Manny then blooped a 1-0 pitch to center in front of Wells, who was naturally playing deep, and suddenly it was up to the slumping Youk to deliver the knockout blow.

With no reliever coming in, it was up to Doc to finish off what he had started, but once again a game he wound up finishing would not end well for him.

Youk took the first pitch for a ball before slicing a single into center, and it looked like it was gonna come down to a play at the plate, with the gimpy Papi challenging Wells' rocket arm.

Except Wells bobbled the ball, and that was all the big fella needed to chug home safely. Instantly the Sox players streamed out onto the field as the crowd went nuts and Dirty Water played in the background, signaling the end to the losing streak and the beginning of some good times at the ballpark for a change.

Boston, you're their home indeed.

Bring on the Rays!

NOTES:
-Lowell returns: Mike Lowell made his return to the lineup after missing 18 games with a sprained thumb. he received a loud ovation in his first trip to the plate but struck out, and was cheered for in each at bat even though he went 0-3. He is now batting a Papi-esque .182 for the season.

-Drew hurt-again: JD Drew left the game after the third inning when he suffered a quad strain running out a ball in the second; he was replaced by Moss. Between the injuries and his recent slump, it's only a matter of time before the calls of "Nancy" begin again, and the chants of "DREEEEEWWWW" revert back to 'boos'.

-Running on empty: the 9th inning score broke a string of 21 scoreless innings for the Sox, dating back to the 5th inning of Saturday's game against the Rays

RECORD: 16-12
STREAK: W1
LAST 10: 6-4
AL EAST: T-1st
UP NEXT: Wed vs. TOR McGowan vs. Matsuzaka