The Red Sox have taken a 2-1 lead over the Royals in the fourth on Carl Crawford’s RBI single.
While neither pitcher has given up much to the opponent, neither one has been particularly dominant, either. Combining for just two strikeouts, there has been a reasonable amount of contact off of each. Paulino has also struggled with command, walking the leadoff batters in both the first and third innings.
In the first, that walk didn’t amount to anything. Not so in the third. After Ryan Lavarnway walked to start the frame, Darnell McDonald laid down a perfect bunt, and made it safely to first as third baseman Mike Moustakas couldn’t field it. With third vacated, Lavarnway made it all the way to the opposite corner, scoring when Marco Scutaro grounded into a double play. Adrian Gonzalez would end the inning with a very long fly ball to left-center that missed being a home run by all of a few feet.
After Tim Wakefield gave up a two-out RBI double to Billy Butler in the bottom of the third, the Sox have kept the offense rolling along in the fourth. A leadoff single from Dustin Pedroia has led to a run on Carl Crawford’s base hit, and after an infield single for Ryan Lavarnway, the Sox have the bases loaded with a chance for more.