Boston’s David Ortiz starting at 1st base

It was Ortiz’s first start at the position in a game at Fenway Park since July 16, 2005, when the Red Sox hosted the New York Yankees.

“It feels great to contribute in a positive way, keep our streak going, ” acknowledged Porcello.

BOSTON (AP) – Miami Marlins reliever Carter Capps knew who he was facing as well as who was still to come with the bases loaded and two out in the seventh inning.

The 26-year-old right-hander, acquired from Detroit during the offseason, was projected to be a top-of-the-rotation starter. You look at his size, and when you watch him, nothing stands out as plus….

“In today’s game, when offense is down and when you’re trying to maximize your chance of scoring runs but deal with the length of the season and the fatigue that comes along with the season, the ability to give an everyday type of player a day off and not lose a lot offensively is huge”, said general manager Ben Cherington in December when asked about Holt.

For the seventh time this season, the Marlins registered at least two errors in a game.

So, although the Red Sox still owned a two-run cushion after Ichiro Suzuki smacked Miami’s fifth straight single, confidence in their pitcher to protect it was at an all-time low. You’d be hard-pressed to find a hotter hitter than the Marlins left fielder coming into the game, as he was hitting.

Koji Uehara got the final three outs for his 21st save, collecting one for the third straight game. Clay Buchholz continues to round into form as he threw a complete game against Houston, allowing one run in the ninth inning. “Once I did that, I was able to settle in”. Koehler went 6.0 innings, surrendering one run, striking out four and walking one in a 2-1 win over the Cubs in his most recent start. Along with center fielder Mookie Betts and shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who might yet make it to Cincinnati as the Final Vote victor (come on Bostonians, channel your inner Kansas Citian and flood the Internet with votes!), Holt represents the new wave of Red Sox.

In the fourth, the Marlins had consecutive RBI singles by J.T. Realmuto and Cole Gillespie.

Ortiz, who played three games at first base earlier this season during interleague action, had not started there against an AL opponent since August 5, 2006.

– Ortiz snapped an 0-for-9 skid with his homer in the second and followed that with a ground rule double to the triangle in the sixth inning. The man dubbed “Kung Fu Panda”, Pablo Sandoval trotted home on the base knock while Alejandro De Aza stopped at third base. Morse homered over Boston’s bullpen.

First baseman Jeff Baker left after the top of the second inning with what the team described as oblique pain.

“When he elevates, he’s not getting away with any mistakes”, Farrell said. He has started 28 of the team’s past 29 games, including the past 10 at second base, where he has played since Pedroia went on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Offensively, the Marlins have really sputtered in the last 10 games. They’ve dropped seven in a row this year. Red Sox manager John Farrell is taking a stand against such struggles. One is that the AL East is wide open still. The declining right fielder was hitless in his last 29 at-bats – the longest drought of his career – before a fourth-inning single in Wednesday’s loss.