However, in the 8-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, all eyes were on the bottom of the order, for very different reasons.
Jacoby Ellsbury and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, two guys who have also drawn some sneers for their ugly numbers early on, combined for six RBIs in leading Boston to its largest margin of victory this season.
With Jon Lester and the bullpen combining to limit the Blue Jays attack, their efforts were more than enough. And for Ellsbury, his three-run homer deep into the grandstands in right field in the bottom of the second created a buzz that remained several hours later.
“I still got a little bit more in me,” Ellsbury joked when asked if he could hit the ball any farther than the blast, which looked for a brief moment as if it might reach the almost unreachable right-field roof.
The shot capped a four-run rally that gave the Sox all they needed. But when Blue Jays starter Jesse Litsch settled down and retired the next 13 in order, they felt that they needed more. That’s where Saltalamacchia came in.
David Ortiz ended Litsch’s streak with a one-out single in the sixth, and an error and walk loaded the bases for the Red Sox catcher, who singled ahead of Ellsbury’s blast in the second.
After falling behind 0-2, Saltalamacchia poked a changeup down the line in right, scoring two more and giving Boston some precious breathing room.
“It spread the game out,” manager Terry Francona said of the hit. “That’s exactly what we needed.”
Ellsbury’s average is now up to .196. That was his third home run, which leads the team. Saltalmacchia is batting .182. That was his second multi-hit game. The numbers may not be where either player wants them to be, but at least their portion of the lineup got some positive attention, perhaps even helping to take some away from Crawford.
