Tommy Hanson pitched five solid innings and the offense squeaked by with a bunt RBI in the seventh to beat the Red Sox, 4-3.
Hanson allowed one run on two hits in five innings, not walking any and striking out five. He recorded six groundouts to three flyouts against several Red Sox regulars and fringe players. The lone run came as the leadoff hitter when Marco Scutaro hit a lead off home run in the first inning. His other hit allowed was a single by Ryan Kalish in the second.
Otherwise, Hanson was perfect, and he allowed the ball to reach the outfield once after the second inning, which was a flyout. The combination of Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis was hitless against Hanson.
Scott Linebrink allowed a two-out single to Pedroia in the sixth, but otherwise pitched a perfect inning. George Sherrill ran into trouble in the seventh, allowing two runs. Youkilis singled to lead off the inning, and after David Ortiz flew out, Jarrod Saltalamacchia doubled him in. After a walk and strikeout for two outs, Josh Reddick singled in Salty for the second run. It was not a pretty outing for Sherrill, especially considering he allowed left-handed batters to reach twice in the inning.
Peter Moylan pitched a perfect eighth with two groundouts and a popout. Eric O'Flaherty pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout.
Martin Prado bounced back from a recent skid with a 2-4 day, including a double. Chipper Jones continued his hot hitting with a 2-3 day, driving in Prado in the first inning on a single. Brian McCann doubled and walked. David Ross went 2-3 with a walk and RBI, including the eventual game-winner when he laid down a bunt with a runner on third and one out in the seventh.
Joe Mather added a RBI single for his only hit. Eric Hinske added a RBI on a sac fly.
Wilkin Ramirez went 1-4 with two strikeouts. His hit was a single against Jon Lester, but he also struck out against Lester and left the bases loaded in the fifth. His second strikeout was with Dennys Reyes on the mound.
Diory Hernandez didn't show much, going 0-4 with a strikeout. Brooks Conrad did, going 2-4 with a walk from the second spot in the order. Conrad went 2-2 with two singles and a walk against Lester, all right handed.
Stock:
Sherrill hasn't exactly impressed this spring, but remember much of it is against right-handed batters, who always crush him. Don't put too much stock into his spring performances.
Ramirez and Hernandez didn't help their cases today, combining to go 1-8 with three strikeouts. Ramirez has always dealt with strikeout problems, but at this point you can't expect him to change. Conrad having such a great day makes Hernandez's day look even worse, though you would like to see that kind of production from Conrad from the left side more this spring.