This weekend, the Red Sox proved that there really is no place like home. Someone flicked the 'on' switch for Boston's offense and, buoyed by three solid pitching performances, the Sox swept the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in their first series at Fenway this year.
While the season debuts of Tomo Ohka and Paxton Crawford were key to the Sox' success this weekend, Pedro Martinez would not allow himself to be outdone by his younger counterparts. Martinez dominated the Devil Rays for eight innings yesterday and received his first victory of the season when the Sox won 3-0.
Tampa Bay has always been a source of trouble for Pedro Martinez. He came within three outs of hurling a no-hitter against them last August only to have it broken up in the ninth inning, and his 16-strikeout performance against the team back in May went to waste when the Sox failed to score any runs in the game.
But yesterday, Martinez was a source of trouble for the Devil Rays. Pedro struck out the first six batters he faced and went on to strike out 16 on the day, one shy of his career high. He held the Devil Rays hitless for five innings, and gave up only three hits during the last three innings he pitched.
Three runs off of Tampa Bay starter Albie Lopez was all Martinez needed for the win, and Derek Lowe pitched the ninth for his first save of the season. The Red Sox upped their record to 4-2, which ties them with the New York Yankees for second place behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.
Red Sox pitchers have long feared Manny Ramirez's visits to Fenway Park, but now that he is on their side, it is the visiting teams who have to worry. On his first swing in the park as a member of the team, Ramirez lined a three-run homer over the Wall on Friday to earn his place in the hearts of Red Sox fans. Ramirez had RBIs in all three games this weekend and amassed six hits in eleven at-bats.
Carl Everett was also extremely productive over the weekend, homering both on Friday and on Saturday and driving in a run during yesterday's game.
Friday's home opener was an offensive massacre, as Sox hitters tapped Tampa Bay for 11 hits during their 11-4 victory. Jose Offerman, who spent the first three games of the season on the bench, made a case for a spot in the starting line-up with three hits to lead the offensive attack.
Sox fans, who were in agony throughout three low-scoring games in Baltimore last week, groaned after the first inning, when Ohka gave up three runs. But the Sox evened the score on Ramirez's homer in the bottom of the inning, and Ohka kept the Devil Rays scoreless for the next three innings.
The Red Sox took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the third. Everett and Mike Lansing padded the score with solo homers in the fourth.
Pitcher Tim Wakefield earned the win after he struck out five and gave up a run in three innings of relief. Ryan Rupe was tabbed as the loser after allowing eight runs in three and two-thirds innings.
On Saturday it might have been only 42 degrees outside, but the Red Sox were on fire in their 6-2 win. Paxton Crawford, making only his fifth major league start, dominated Tampa Bay hitters with the ease of a veteran.
Crawford allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings, and his nine strikeouts were a career high. The rookie only got better as the game went on, retiring the last 13 batters he faced before Rod Beck came in to pitch the last two innings.
Crawford's impressive performance was matched by the offense, as each starter tallied at least one hit in the 14-hit outburst.
After Tampa Bay took the lead on an RBI-single by John Flaherty in the bottom of the second, Trot Nixon turned the score in Boston's favor with a two-run blast, his second of the season.
Crawford was not the only rookie who came through for the Sox on Saturday, as Shea Hillenbrand's first major league home run put Boston ahead for good in the fourth inning. Hillenbrand, who played at Double-A Trenton last year, has hit safely in all six of Boston's games this year for a .300 average.
Ramirez provided an insurance run in the fifth with a single that drove in his sixth run of the season. Everett and catcher Scott Hatteberg added to the lead with RBI doubles in the seventh.
The Devil Rays have lost five straight after their opening day win against Toronto, and are struggling though the worst start in their short franchise history.
In other Boston news, second-baseman Chris Stynes, whose fielding error blew the opening game, was put on the 15-day DL, and Lou Merloni was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
