Game 22: Jacoby leads rally as Sox win 6th straight

Red Sox 7
Angels 6

First of all, Josh Beckett getting scratched yesterday was apparently common knowledge to everyone but me. After telling the world that Captain Kick-ass and the Red Sox were going make Jered Weaver cry, I turned on the TV and found David Pauley on the mound...

Turns out he's got the flu and a stiff neck (the same two issues that half the team seems to have). Tito's said it was the cold weather in Cleveland, but I'm starting to wonder if they all went out and caught something at a strip club that feature very tall dancers...

Anyway, the BL Hero of the Game put us on the board in the first with a solo shot to right... but Jacoby's night was far from over. After a slow spring, Ellsbury has come on strong as of late. His team leading .456 OBP has enabled him to steal 2 bases in three different games this season. But he flashed a little power last night with two home runs, one of which became the game winner.

On week ago, at the end of the 2-game series in New York, Ellsbury was batting .212 with a couple of singles, but the injury to Coco Crisp has put him in the lineup on a daily basis and he is thriving... sorry Coco, but this just proves that he needs to be the starter in center field.

Jacoby was the hero of the day, but Dustin Pedroia also had a great night, going 4-5 in the No. 2 spot. The two youngsters have ignited the offense at the top of the order, going a combined 11 for 19 (.578) with 7 runs scored, 6 RBI and 3 stolen bases in the past two games.

Bottom Line: They won while Ortiz was slumping... they won while Manny was on bench... they've been winning since Mike Lowell got hurt... and they won last night when the ace was a scratch... somebody tell me how this team does not win it all this year?

Okay... maybe the bullpen could use some help... but that's all I'm giving anyone today!

Get Pedroia's thoughts on the win here.
Get Jacoby's post game interview here.