Red Sox 4, Padres 1
Red Sox 4, Padres 1: Brandon Snyder hit a three-run double while John Lackey won his third straight decision with a season-high eight strong innings as host Boston downed San Diego.
Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, Jonny Gomes and Jose Iglesias each registered two hits for the Red Sox, who won for the sixth time in seven games. Lackey (6-5) continued his dominance at Fenway Park this season, allowing one run and six hits to improve to 4-1 with a 1.32 ERA at home.
Jesus Guzman had two hits and homered off Lackey in the seventh inning for the Padres’ fourth run over their last four games. Robbie Erlin (1-1) needed 93 pitches to get through 3 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs on five hits and three walks against the highest-scoring offense in the major leagues.
The Red Sox threatened in the first as Dustin Pedroia drew a two-out walk and raced around the bases on Ortiz’s line-drive double down the right-field line, but Padres catcher Nick Hundley easily tagged him out at home. Boston put a runner on in each of the next two frames but didn’t break through until the fourth.
Ortiz singled while Mike Napoli and Jarrod Saltalamacchia walked to load the bases for Snyder, who ripped a 2-2 fastball high off the wall in center. Iglesias increased the lead to 4-0 in the sixth with an RBI single off reliever Tim Stauffer, giving new closer Koji Uehara plenty of cushion as he worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ortiz’s first-inning double was the 500th of his career, making him the fifth active player and 58th major leaguer to reach the mark. … Lackey defeated San Diego for the first time in his career. The only teams the right-hander has yet to register a victory against are the Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. … Padres SS Pedro Ciriaco, acquired from Boston on June 14 for future considerations, went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases in his first game against his former team.