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Hanley Ramirez clocked a 2-run HR in the seventh inning to put the Red Sox ahead to stay in
a 5-4 win over the Astros at Fenway Park. The nearly one-handed shot off a change-up was Ramirez's 18th of the year. Andover High School's
Ryan Hanigan had a big game as well—going 3-3 with 2 RBIs and making several key blocks behind the plate.
Pablo Sandoval also had a big offensive day—with three more hits. And on the mound—despite an early high pitch count—
Eduardo Rodriguez went five solid innings, giving Houston just one earned run. Once again, the middle portion of the bullpen let the team down—with
Alexi Ogando coughing up back-to-back HRs to give away a 3-1 Boston lead. But, the back-end of the 'pen (
Junichi Tazawa and
Koji Uehara) was solid in the eighth and ninth. A tough, 11-pitch walk by
David Ortiz (starting at first base today) preceded the big Hanley blast. All in all a great victory—making the games next week against the Marlins and Evil Ones all the more meaningful.
