The Red Sox increased their lead to 2-0 in the third. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a triple into the right-field corner and trotted home on a sacrifice fly by Pedroia.
Oakland hit into an unusual double play in the top of the inning. Eric Patterson, who had reached on an infield single, was running on a pitch that Adam Kennedy popped up to first base. Patterson overslid the bag and in his haste to scramble back to first neglected to retouch second. First baseman Adam LaRoche caught the pop and flipped the ball to Josh Beckett covering first, but Patterson was back by then. Pedroia, knowing Patterson had not touched second on his way back, called for the ball from Beckett, touched second, and Patterson was ruled out by second base umpire Fieldin Culbreth to complete the double play.
Leave a comment