Josh Reddick began his tenure as starting right fielder unceremoniously, but the Red Sox got seven strong innings from John Lackey and another big night from their top two batters to become the second major league team to win 60 games in 2011.
Jacoby Ellsbury went deep in the fourth inning to provide Lackey with a 2-1 lead, and while the Mariners battled back in the eighth inning against Fernando Morales, it was enough to get the beleaguered Red Sox starter his eighth win of the season, bringing him to a remarkable .500 on the year, despite his 6.28 ERA.
The game remained close until the seventh inning, when Boston went to work, manufacturing five runs on five hits, chasing Felix Hernandez from the game and ensuring Lackey the win.
Morales came in to start the eighth and allowed three runs after recording two outs, but Daniel Bard came in to relieve Morales, retiring the side for his 23rd hold of the year.
The hold also increased Bard's team-record to 23 scoreless innings, and he gave way to Jonathan Papelbon, who recorded his 22nd save.
Ellsbury went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs, while Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 19 games and his reached-base safely streak to 31, going 3-for-3 with two runs and a walk. He's now batting .299, a far cry from the .235 he was batting following Boston's 9-2 loss to Minnesota on May 6th.
Pedroia has improved his average by 37 points during the on-base streak, and by 23 points during the hitting streak.
The Mariners have now lost 13 games in a row. It was Hernandez' first loss at Fenway Park.