Boston, MA (Sports Network) – David Ortiz finished 2-for-4 with a two-run homer as Boston doubled up Arizona, 6-3, in the opener of a three-game interleague set from Fenway Park.
Dustin Pedroia collected two hits, knocked in a run and scored three times for the Red Sox, who have won three of four. Kevin Youkilis and Victor Martinez also drove in a run each for the victors.
Clay Buchholz (9-4) allowed seven hits and three runs with eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings for his sixth win in seven starts. Jonathan Papelbon hurled a scoreless ninth to earn his 14th save.
Justin Upton hit a two-run double for the D-Backs, who had taken the final two games of their weekend set against St. Louis.
Ian Kennedy (3-4) was tagged in defeat for six runs and nine hits over six full frames for Arizona, which suffered its 11th straight loss on the road.
The Sox put up three runs in the third to go ahead by a 5-1 count. Mike Cameron singled and advanced on a wild pitch, and after Daniel Nava walked, Pedroia smacked a double to plate Cameron. Two batters later, Nava scored on a another wild pitch and Pedroia moved up to third. After Kevin Youkilis fanned, Martinez hit a dribbler to short to score Pedroia.
Upton’s two-run double in the fourth got the D-Backs within 5-3, but Youkilis added another run to the BoSox ledger with an RBI two-bagger in the fifth. Pedroia got the frame started with a leadoff single and moved to second on a groundout.
Hideki Okajima spelled Buchholz in the sixth with a man on and kept Arizona off the board. Manny Delcarmen came on with one down in the seventh and got the next two batters.
Daniel Bard retired the side in order in the eighth and Papelbon did the same in the ninth to end the contest.
Both teams scored in the first, with Arizona striking on an RBI single by Adam LaRoche and Boston countering on a two-run blast from Ortiz.
Game Notes
This is the first meeting between the team since 2008, when the Sox took two of three from the D-Backs in Boston…The D-Backs haven’t won away from Phoenix since May 17 at Florida…Prior to the contest, Arizona dealt outfielder Conor Jackson to Oakland in exchange for pitcher Sam Demel.