The Red Sox trail the Pirates 2-1 after three innings in Pittsburgh.
The Sox got off to an early lead after Jacoby Ellsbury walked, advanced to third on a single from Adrian Gonzalez, and came home to score when Kevin Youkilis grounded out, but the lead didn’t last long.
After a couple of 1-2-3 innings, Ronny Cedeno led off the bottom of the third with a bunt single that seemed to open the floodgates some. Mike Cameron went sprawling on an ill-conceived and worse-executed diving attempt for a line drive in right to give the Pirates second-and-third with no outs before Lester committed the cardinal sin of walking the pitcher to load the bases.The PIrates pushed across their first run of the game when a ground ball took a bad hop on Kevin Youkilis, and then another on a double play.
So far, the decision to bat Darnell McDonald fifth is causing just as much trouble as might be expected, as the right fielder left the bases loaded in the top of the third. Jon Lester has been more impressive at the plate so far, with a line drive out in the first and a flair to second in the fourth.