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| (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) |
In his first ever start at Fenway Park,
Rubby De La Rosa showed no signs of the jitters. In fact, he went out and threw
seven shutout innings at the last-place Rays—walking none and striking out eight. The Red Sox could not have expected anything more from the young fire-baller—acquired in
The Great Punto Trade Of 2012. De La Rosa was pretty much in command from the first batter of the game—minimizing his control issues. He threw 105 pitches over the seven frames, giving up just four hits and inducing 11 ground-ball outs. Boston's sixth straight win—
an eventual 7-1 triumph—was paced by first-of-the-year HRs from
Brock Holt (also first of
his career) and
Jackie Bradley, Jr..
Jonathan Herrera—playing second for the injured
Dustin Pedroia—had three hits, while
A.J. Pierzynski and
Grady Sizemore collected two hits each. Boston goes for its seventh straight win—and a sweep of the Rays—by sending
Jon Lester to the mound on Sunday.
