Red Sox 4, Diamondbacks 0
BOSTON -- Felix Doubront pitched seven shutout innings and Jacoby Ellsbury drove in two runs as the Boston Red Sox finished off a strong homestand with a 4-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon.
Shane Victorino and Stephen Drew each had two hits, and Dustin Pedroia delivered a run-scoring double for the first-place Red Sox, who went 5-2 at Fenway Park and have won seven of their last nine games to maintain their one-game lead over Tampa Bay in the American League East.
The Diamondbacks got two hits apiece from Martin Prado and Cody Ross, but still lost for the sixth time in their last eight games.
Doubront (8-5) gave up four hits, all singles, over the first six innings, but never allowed a runner to advance to second base, twice benefiting from double plays behind him.
He surrendered only five hits overall, striking out five without any walks, and permitted just one runner to reach second.
The left-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts, and yielded three earned runs or fewer in all but one of his 20 starts this season.
Brandon McCarthy (2-5), activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game, gave up two runs on five hits over just 4 1/3 innings while striking out five and walking three.
The right-hander didn't allow a hit through the first 3 2/3 innings but couldn't make it through the fifth.
Drew and Brock Holt singled to open the fifth inning, and Ellsbury put the Red Sox on top with a sacrifice fly. Pedroia's double down the left-field line plated Holt for a 2-0 lead.
McCarthy was pulled after intentionally walking David Ortiz to load the bases, and reliever Will Harris retired Mike Napoli and Mike Carp to limit the damage.
But only for so long.
Boston jumped all over reliever Josh Collmenter in the sixth, when Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Drew led off with singles.
Following a sacrifice bunt by Holt, Ellsbury's fly ball to right was lost in the sun by Gerardo Parra, allowing the ball to fall to the ground and allowing Saltalamacchia to trot home. Victorino promptly made it 4-0 with an RBI single to center.
NOTES: Boston manager John Farrell celebrated his 51st birthday Sunday. Former Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens also was born on the same date, Aug. 4, 1962. ... Red Sox LHP Franklin Morales, on the 15-day DL with a left pectoralis strain, is slated to continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket Sunday at Buffalo. ... Arizona C Tuffy Gosewisch, who made his MLB debut Thursday against Texas, and Pedroia played together at Arizona State from 2002-04. ... Ortiz has reached base safely in his last 18 games after getting aboard on an intentional walk in the fifth inning. ... The Diamondbacks have a day off Monday before opening a two-game series against Tampa Bay on Tuesday. ... Boston improved to 9-6 all-time against Arizona, and 9-3 in interleague games this season. ... The fans gave a rousing applause to Parra after he shielded the sun with his glove to make a catch during the seventh inning. ... Boston LHP Matt Thornton threw just six pitches in the eighth before leaving with an apparent injury. ... The Red Sox stranded 13 runners.