The Red Sox are officially on a roll, blasting John Danks for seven runs to back up an impressive display from Daniel Bard en route to a 10-3 win over the White Sox.
The Sox found themselves behind early for a change as a shaky Daniel Bard allowed a run to cross home in the bottom of the first. That would quickly change in the second, however, when David Ortiz went very deep to right field with Kevin Youkilis on base to put them ahead 2-1.
Chicago tied things up in the bottom of the third as a series of errors and misplays allowed the White Sox to score a second time, and then in the fifth Paul Konerko made Bard pay for a fat fastball with a solo shot, leaving Boston in a 3-2 hole.
The lead would last for not even half an inning, however. Jumping all over a struggling Danks in the top of the sixth, the Sox loaded the bases, scored once on a Cody Ross single, three more times on a Darnell McDonald double that cleared the bases, and then a final time on a single off the bat of Marlon Byrd.
Daniel Bard, meanwhile, had settled down very nicely. Working quickly through the late innings, Bard was able to complete seven frames of work with three runs (two earned), striking out six batters and walking just one in the process. Matt Albers came on to complete the game as the Sox added a few more on four seventh inning singles, and a solo shot in the ninth from Darnell McDonald.
*****
Butterfingers Shoppach: During one of Kelly Shoppach's earlier at bats, Bobby Valentine came on the field to hand him a new bat for no apparent reason. Accepting the new lumber, Shoppach proceeded to strike out and send his bat flying into left field as he lost hold of it on the final swing. Once in each of his next two at bats Shoppach would again lose control of his bat, tossing it remarkably far--once into left field past the third base bag, and another time into the seats where, thankfully, nobody was hurt.
What did Bobby do to that bat?
Daniel Bard Triumphant: Any thoughts of moving Daniel Bard back to the bullpen must be slipping away by this point. Controlling both his fastball and slider, Bard had an exceptional night of work on the mound, only really struggling in the first. Ending the day with 98 pitches, had the game been in more dire straights he could very well have had an eighth under his belt had he been so inclined.
David Ortiz Keeps Rolling: Going deep in the second, narrowly missing a second bomb as the wind knocked it down on the way to the wall in center, and adding a single besides, David Ortiz is on an unbelievable roll to start the season. Gone are the early April struggles, and hopefully here to stay is the old Papi.
Actually, check that. Even in his best years, Ortiz wasn't quite this locked in.