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| (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) |
As he rounded the bases on his 100th career home run (a grand slam),
Dustin Pedroia was smiling. As well he should. His sixth-inning blast metaphorically wiped out what has been wrong with the 2014 Carmine Hose—
the lack of the big hit. This one moved the Boston margin from one, paper-thin run to five. It gave
Clay Buchholz and the bullpen some breathing room, and allowed the Red Sox to secure
a big 7-1 win over the somehow-still-good Oakland A's (entering the game they had the
best record in the American League). Buchholz ended up hurling 6 1/3 innings, giving up just three hits and one earned run in one of his best starts of the year. In addition to Pedroia,
Xander Bogaerts and
A.J. Pierzynski had two hits to pace the offense.
Jackie Bradley, Jr. also had a key double and turned a spectacular double-play in center field.
