Ross again: Walkoff HR lifts Sox to win

Cody Ross did it again for the Red Sox, belting a three-run, game-winning walkoff homer to the Monster seats in left in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Red Sox to a dramatic 3-1 win over the White Sox Thursday night at Fenway.

For six innings, White Sox rookie Jose Quintana was nearly unhittable. He retired 18 of the first 19 batters, with only Pedro Ciriaco reaching on a triple to left-center with two outs in the third after the first eight Red Sox went down in order. Quintana allowed five hits over eight scoreless innings, striking out two and walking none.

Clay Buchholz was nearly as impressive, allowing his only run in the fourth when Adam Dunn opened with a leadoff walk, Paul Konerko singled Dunn to third and Alex Rios drove Dunn home with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. Buchholz held the White Sox to just six hits and one run over eight strong innings, throwing 107 pitches, striking out six and walking just one. 

The Red Sox mounted their first major threat in the seventh. After Carl Crawford grounded back to the pitcher for the 11th straight out recorded by Quintana, Dustin Pedroia singled sharply to right field for his first hit back off the 15-day disabled list. Adrian Gonzalez followed with another opposite-field single, a liner to left. Ross -- the hero from Wednesday night -- then singled to left. 

Just as White Sox left fielder Dayan Viciedo was approaching the ball in shallow left, third base coach Jerry Royster held up Pedroia. Viciedo overran the ball, giving Pedroia a chance to score, but Pedroia had already slowed down and couldn't regain his momentum. Will Middlebrooks then came to the plate. After falling behind 1-2 in the count, the rookie battled back to a full count. On the payoff pitch, Middlebrooks hit a dying liner to shortstop that sunk quickly on Alexei Ramirez. He stopped the ball and then, from one knee, threw to second base to start an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. 

In the ninth, Crawford singled sharply to right to open in the inning against lefty Matt Thornton. Pedroia forced him at second with a grounder to third. Gonzalez followed with a single to right, setting the stage for Ross' third career walkoff homer. coming off right-hander Addison Reed. 

Kevin Youkilis did not play in the series finale, getting his first night off since joining the White Sox in the June 24 trade. He finished the series 5-for-12 in three games, with two doubles and the decisive three-run homer in Tuesday's 7-5 White Sox win. 

The Red Sox open a three-game series with the Blue Jays on Friday at Fenway Park, capping the seven-game homestand.

For complete coverage from Alex Speier, Rob Bradford and Mike Petraglia, visit the Red Sox team page at weei.com/redsox and the Full Count blog.