The Ellsbury and Jackson homers highlighted a seven-run seventh inning that expanded Boston’s 11-9 lead.
“It was good to see all the hits and the home runs,’’ said designated hitter David Ortiz. “That’s what we need to keep doing.’’
Asked whether this could ignite a good stretch of games, Ortiz said, “I hope so.’’
It was tough to feel too good about Game 2 because John Lackey was an adventure again, nearly giving back an 11-3 lead. He left with the score 11-8 in the fifth inning.
“Physically, arm-strength wise, I felt about as good as I had all year,’’ said Lackey whose ERA rose to 6.49 after he allowed 11 hits and eight runs in 4 ⅓ innings. It marked the 13th time in the last 19 games a Sox starter has gone five innings or fewer.
“I’m glad we won, but I’m pretty frustrated,’’ Lackey said.
What was optimistic for the Sox was that Scott Atchison got what manager Terry Francona described as “four big outs’’ in relief of Lackey. He also said the Lowrie homer in the first inning “got us right back in it.’’ It put the Sox ahead, 4-3, after Lackey had given up three in the first inning.
While Jackson’s homer was icing on an offensive outburst, his diving catch to rob Nick Markakis of a hit in the third was also important. Jackson played left field in the nightcap as Carl Crawford again was unable to go because of a stiff neck sustained before Game 1.
“You want to try to contribute any way you can,’’ Jackson said.
In the first game, the featured play was a poor call in the fifth inning, when Ortiz’s liner to right field was ruled a foul ball. Replays showed otherwise. With two runs in to pull the Sox within 6-4 and Pedroia on third base, Ortiz drove a ball into the corner, where that funky foul line tends to blend with the wall.
