The Red Sox put six runs up on Ricky Romero in 4.1 innings including a four-run fourth en route to a 6-4 win over the Blue Jays Wednesday night.
Both teams got off to quick offensive starts, with the early innings proving something of a roller coaster. First blood went to the Blue Jays, who got a leadoff double from Yunel Escobar--he would have no trouble hitting the knuckler all night--and an RBI single from Jose Bautista to take the early 1-0 lead.
It took Ricky Romero all of two pitches to give the run back, however. Jacoby Ellsbury caught all of a two-seamer tailing back across the plate, sending it flying into the bleachers past the bullpens in right. David Ortiz grounded into a double play to end the first without any further harm, but again in the second inning, it was the second pitch that got Romero into trouble. Another two-seamer went where it shouldn't--this time right into Kevin Youkilis' wheelhouse--and was sent sailing for a solo shot that would've gone a lot farther had it not found the monster seats.
The Jays weren't quite done with Tim Wakefield, though, leading to another lead change in the third. Rajai Davis started things off with a chopper that didn't even make it half way to the mound. Saltalamacchia's throw was late, and the rally had started as Yunel Escobar picked up his second hit on the very next pitch. A couple of productive outs and an Adam Lind single later and the Jays were back on top 3-2.
Romero finally avoided the home run in the third inning, allowing just a walk to Marco Sccutaro, but the fourth inning was where things fell apart. With two outs already over and done with, J.D. Drew extended the inning by launching a long fly ball off the top of the wall in center, just shy of a homer. It would be 18 pitches and 6 batters later before Romero retired the side, with Darnell McDonald singling off the Monster to bring Drew home, Jarrod Saltalamacchia dropping a soft fly into center, Yamaico Navarro following McDonald's lead with an RBI double off the wall, and then Jacoby Ellsbury finishing the scoring by just barely missing his second homer of the game, driving the ball off the wall just to the left of home run territory in left-center. When all was said and done, the Sox had taken a 6-3 lead.
Tim Wakefield settled down after that, keeping the Jays off the board from the fourth to the seventh, transitioning to Daniel Bard in the eighth. Bard had to leave the game after a rain delay struck with two outs, but Dan Wheeler finished the inning off, and Jonathan Papelbon struck out the side around a pair of baserunners that brought the Jays within two in the end.
The Red Sox are now winners of 6-of-their-last-7 games and are set to take on the Orioles in their last series before the All-Star Game.