Sizemore's single in 12th lifts Red Sox over Reds

Emerging as the feel-good story of spring training, Grady Sizemore had come back down to earth. Mired in a 3-for-37 slump entering Tuesday’s homestand, the 31-year-old needed a spark to lift him out of his prolonged funk.

Sizemore’s hitting woes came to a screeching halt on Tuesday as the Boston Red Sox’s center fielder delivered with three-hits, none bigger than his Green Monster-smashing single that scored David Ortiz from second base in the 12^th inning. Sizemore’s wall-ball base knock lifted the Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

The single gave Sizemore his fourth career walk-off hit, his first since Aug. 11, 2006, against the Kansas City Royals, then a member of the Cleveland Indians.

"It will never get old to walk off," said Sizemore, via SFGate.com. "I was just glad I could come through."

Coming up in the clutch, Sizemore proved he can be an integral piece to the Red Sox as they build toward restoring their dominance in the MLB.

"He feels like the game is coming back to him," Red Sox manager John Farrell said, via telegram.com. "With a walk-off hit like this, he feels he's contributing, not just some player coming back from an injury."

For Sizemore, a walk-off single builds confidence to a player looking to recapture his glory after injuries almost decimated his career.

"Honestly, considering everything else I've gone through, this is easy," Sizemore said, via MassLive.com. "This is fun."

The Red Sox are now 1-2 in extra innings contests at Fenway Park, posting a 2-2 record overall in extras.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Boston Red Sox Series Preview

The Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds will square off on Tuesday for just the third time since battling on the national stage in the epic 1975 World Series. The Reds will visit Fenway Park for the first time since 2005 as they take on the defending champions for a quick midweek two-game series.

Homer Bailey (2-2) of the Reds will oppose the Red Sox’s Felix Doubront (1-3) in the series-opener. Bailey is fresh off his finest pitching performance of the season, hurling eight innings with just three runs allowed in a victory over the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Faltering in each of his past three starts, Doubront has yet to make it through seven innings in 2014. The left-hander has been unable to record a victory since earning a win in his first start of the year.

The Red Sox do not have much experience against Bailey. The only players with more than two career at-bats against Bailey are Grady Sizemore (2-for-10) and Shane Victorino (4-for-11, HR).

Jake Peavy will look for some run support when he takes the mound for the series-finale. Peavy has been an imposing force in the Red Sox’s rotation, posting a 2.87 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings pitched. Peavy’s pedestrian 1-1 record does not reflect the season the right-hander has had thus far.

On the opposite side, Mike Leake, who knows what it feels like to be a hard-luck loser, will take the hill for the Reds. Leake (2-3) is coming off a dominant start in which he surrendered just two runs in eight innings, yet was hooked for the loss in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Brewers.

Receiving positive news on the injury front was Red Sox relief pitcher Edward Mujica, who dealt with discomfort in his right oblique as he warmed up in the bullpen in Saturday’s contest versus the Oakland A’s. Mujica will avoid a trip to the disabled list, according to Red Sox manager John Farrell.

“This isn't a DL situation as a result of the exam this morning," Farrell said, via MetroWest Daily News. "Likely unavailable today. Give him today and tomorrow ... to continue to receive treatment and see where we are when we open up against Cincinnati (on Tuesday)."

The Red Sox and Reds will both get a day off on Thursday, before each squad hits the road for its respective weekend series. These two clubs will meet again this year in Cincinnati for a two-game series on Aug. 12-13.

NBA Playoffs: Conference Semifinals Picks

EASTERN CONFERENCE

  (5) Washington Wizards vs. (1) Indiana Pacers

Pick: Pacers in seven.

(6) Brooklyn Nets vs. (2) Miami Heat
Pick: Heat in seven. 

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(3) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder

Pick: Clippers in seven.

(5) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (1) San Antonio Spurs

Pick: Spurs in six.

Jon Lester Strikes Out Career-High 15 as Red Sox Beat A's 6-3

Jon Lester walks off the mound with all smiles after striking out the side in the eighth. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Jon Lester delivered his best outing of the season on Saturday, striking out a career-high 15 batters in the Boston Red Sox’s 6-3 triumph over the visiting Oakland A’s.

The southpaw was able to set the tone early in the matinee, retiring the side in the first inning on just nine pitches. Lester’s red-hot start continued as he struck out nine of the first 13 batters he faced.

The A’s were only able to muster one hit off Lester, a leadoff bloop single in the top of the third by Craig Gentry.

Lester (3-4) walked just two batters and threw 119 pitches in eight scoreless innings. He became the first Red Sox pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 2001 to record 15 strikeouts in a game. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Lester is the first left-handed starter with 15 strikeouts with just one-hit surrendered since Randy Johnson accomplished the feat in 1997 as a member of the Seattle Mariners.

The Red Sox were paced on offense by a grand slam for the second consecutive game. A day after Dustin Pedroia cleared the bases on a tapering shot to left field, Jonny Gomes was able to add a four-run shot of his own over the Green Monster that gave the Red Sox an early 4-0 cushion.

David Ortiz increased the lead in the bottom of the third with a solo homer beyond the bullpens in right. Ortiz now has hit 379 home runs with the Red Sox, tying him with Dwight Evans for fourth in franchise history. For his career, Ortiz has belted 437 homers, just one shy of tying Hall of Famer Andre Lawson and current Cleveland Indians backup designated hitter Jason Giambi for 40^th place on the all-time list.

Chris Capuano was unable to put away the A’s quietly in the ninth. Laden by two errors, the lefty reliever gave up three runs (two earned) without recording a single out.

Koji Uehara came to the rescue for the Red Sox. The 39-year-old closer entered the game with runners on first and second, before giving up a walk to A’s slugger Yoenis Cespedes. The A’s were unable to capitalize on the bases-loaded no-out situation as Uehara buckled down, getting Derek Nooris to ground into a force out at home, before striking out Alberto Callaspo and then retiring Brandon Moss via a line out to right to end the contest. Uehara picked up his seventh save of the season as the Red Sox defeated the club with the most wins in the American league for the second straight day.

Pedroia’s 100th HR comes in grand style as Sox topple A’s

Dustin Pedroia’s 100^th career home run could not have come at a better time for the Boston Red Sox, a club that has been hampered by their lack of timely hitting all season. The Red Sox entered Friday’s contest versus the Oakland A’s with a subpar .229 batting average with runners in scoring position in 2014.

Dustin Pedroia connected on the A's Ryan Cook's 0-2 pitch, croaking a grand slam over the Green Monster. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Pedroia delivered a clutch grand slam, elevating the second baseman into the triple-digit home run club, also recording his 503 career RBI’s in the process. In becoming the 27^th player in Red Sox history with at least 100 homers and 500 RBIs, Pedroia also joined elite company with Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski as the only players in franchise history to record least 100 homers, 500 RBIs and 100 stolen bases.

Pedroia belted the four-run shot over the Green Monster off A’s reliever Ryan Cook as the Sox took a 6-1 lead that was never to be relinquished.

"As a team we’ve been scuffling a little bit with guys on, so I kept my weight back, which is nice, I haven’t been doing that lately," Pedroia said, via MassLive.com. "I was able to hit it, I kind of hit it off the end but I back-spun it and was just able to get it over the Monster."

          Pedroia’s monster shot was long overdue. The four-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year (2007) and Most Valuable Player (2008) entered Friday’s tilt with no dingers on the year.

“I’m feeling good. I’m still trying to make adjustments every day trying to get better. I was pretty excited to hit a home run. It’s been a while,” Pedroia said, via the Boston Globe.

It had been 163 at-bats between home runs for Pedroia, who last went yard on Sept. 17, 2013, a span of 52 games (36 in the regular season and 16 in the playoffs).

Right-hander Clay Buchholz delivered his second consecutive solid outing in the Red Sox’s 7-1 victory. He allowed a season-low in runs (1) and hits (3) in 6 1/3 innings of work. Buchholz picked up the win, evening his record at 2-2 for the year.

R.A. Dickey silences Red Sox's bats, Blue Jays avoid sweep

The Boston Red Sox were no match for R.A. Dickey’s signature knuckleball on Sunday at the Rogers Centre.

Dickey surrendered just one run off five hits in 6 1/3 innings of work as the Toronto Blue Jays pummeled the Red Sox, 7-1, to avoid a three-game sweep. He retired the first five batters of the game and had a streak of 10 straight outs later in the contest. On the day that Dickey bobbleheads were given out to fans in attendance, the right-hander was able to make the Red Sox’s batters bobble at the place, striking out six in a dominant performance.

Jon Lester was a hard-luck loser, pitching seven strong innings of four-run baseball. The Red Sox’s bullpen imploded in the bottom of the eighth. Andrew Miller allowed three runs in just 2/3 inning, giving the Blue Jays plenty of insurance to close the game out.

A lack of run support for Lester has been banal in the 2014 season. The Red Sox have scored a mere 13 runs in six starts by Lester. The southpaw has posted a solid 3.10 ERA on the young season, but has a mediocre 2-4 record to show for his efforts.

The Red Sox could have climbed back to the .500 mark had they defeated Blue Jays. With a loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday, the Red Sox are now 0-6 in games that would have evened their record on the year. 

Mike Napoli Dislocates Finger; Red Sox Drop Series Opener in Chicago

Mike Napoli cringes on second base as he looks at his dislocated finger. (NESN screenshot, via Boston.com)

When it rains, it pours for the Boston Red Sox on the injury front.

The Red Sox entered Tuesday’s series opener against the White Sox in Chicago with Shane Victorino and Will Middlebrooks already on the 15-day disabled list. Dustin Pedroia (wrist) and Koji Uehara (shoulder) have been nursing injuries of their own.

Mike Napoli became the latest starter to fall victim to the injury bug, jamming his left finger into the second base bag after recording his first stolen base of the year. Napoli, the team leader in home runs (3) and RBI (9), was pinch-run for by Pedroia, who was not expected to return to game action until Wednesday.

Replays showed Napoli’s ringer finger out of place, forcing the slugger out of the game as Mike Carp took over the duties at first base. The Red Sox announced that Napoli suffered a dislocated finger, but X-Rays were negative.

The White Sox went off to win in dramatic fashion, scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth via a throwing error by Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts to walk off with a 2-1 victory in front of their home crowd.