The Red Sox took their third straight series yesterday for the first time since the very start of the season, beating the Astros 5-4. Hanley Ramirez’s go-ahead homer over the monster boosted the Red Sox in the 7th inning, giving them the 5-4 lead. They did score first though, and were up 3-1 until the 7th inning. 
It all started in the 2nd inning. Hanley Ramirez led off walking. Then, Pablo Sandoval singled, and Ramirez was out at third. Sandoval did advance to second on the throw though. Alejandro De Aza followed with another walk. 1st and 2nd. Then Ryan Hanigan got his first of three hits and a walk in the game, a single to score Panda and get De Aza to third base.  
In the 4th, the Astros tied it back up for E-Rod’s only earned run. Rodriguez also went a good 5 innings. Only twice in his career has he given up more than one run in a start. Luis Valbuena walked and Marwin Gonzalez singled him to second. Jake Marisnick singled to score Valbuena and send Gonzalez into scoring position at third.  
In the 5th, the Sox had 2nd and 3rd. Hanigan had singled, and Betts doubled him to third. Bogaerts grounded into fielder’s choice and Hanigan was out at the plate while Betts kept running, making it safely to third. But he didn’t score either. Very disappointing RISP trouble. 2nd and 3rd, no outs. Seriously?  
In the 6th, they finally scored again, not just once, but twice. Ramirez was safe at first on an error by the shortstop. Then Sandoval doubled and Ramirez came all the way around to score. Shane Victorino bunted to the pitcher, advancing the Panda to third. Ryan Hanigan got a third single to score him. Betts walked, and it was first and second, but with two outs, and a third came fast on Brock Holt.  
But in the top of the seventh, everything changed. It had been 3-1 Red Sox. Then came trouble. Jose Altuve led off with a singled. Kevin Correa came up with one out.  

Altuve stole second. Then thirty seconds later, the ball was in the monster seats. The Astros had tied it 3-3 with a 2 run homer by Correa over the monster, scoring Altuve. In another thirty seconds, the Astros had back to back homers and a 4-3 lead. Evan Gattis knocked the second straight over the monster, all off poor Alexi Ogamdo, who came out after one more batter got out. 
But Hanley Ramirez changed everything in the bottom of that very inning. Frustrated supposedly from playing first base, Big Papi walked. Then Hanley Ramirez came up. In another thirty seconds, he blasted the ball over the monster for a go-ahead 2 run homer that gave the Red Sox the 5-4 lead.     
Even while using six pitchers, two only facing a batter each, one E-Rod, one gave up back to back homers, and Tazawa and Uehara got the job done, Uehara earned the save for the Sox and they won 5-4. They face the Marlins the 7th and 8th in a two game interleague series, with rest tomorrow and the day after the series.
They play these at Fenway Park, and play two more in Miami August 11th and 12th. I’m attending the 11th game with family while vacationing in Florida. We’re staying in Boca Raton with my grandparents and going to Miami with my grandpa, uncle, cousins, brother and dad.
Then, before the all star break, the Sox have a chance to gain in the division as they host the Yankees at Fenway. Will they gain some games on the AL East and turn it around? I still am a Sox believer. Admit it, they were worse last year, even if they spent all this money for a fourth or last place team SO FAR this year. Meaning they could change and get better, or just get better coming in to the all star break. Besides, because they’ve not been so hot, the players aren’t all stars and they get plenty of rest before their west road trip to Anaheim and Houston.