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Sox win second game, complete doubleheader sweep »
May 18, 2008
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- Until May 5, Mike Lowell, who led the Red Sox RBI last season, had yet to knock in a run. Since then, he's been more than making up for lost time.
As the Sox capped their doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with a 7-6 win Saturday night, Lowell provided much of the early offense, doubling home two runs in the first and adding a two-run homer in the third.
That outburst continued a torrid streak for Lowell over the last two weeks, which has seen him go 18-for-49 (.367) with five homers and 15 RBI.
The hot streak began on the team's recent three-city, 10-game road trip. Now that the Sox are home for a seven-game homestand, Lowell is hoping it continues.
"I think the whole trip, I was pretty comfortable and seeing the ball well,'' said Lowell. "When I got my pitch, I was putting it in play and not fouling it off. I was fortunate to do it twice today and drive in some runs for us."
Lowell gave the Sox a 2-0 jumpstart in the bottom of the first, when, after a two-out walk by David Ortiz and a double to left by Kevin Youkilis, he drove a double into the left-field corner off David Bush.
In the third, again with two out, he jumped on a pitch from Lowell and sent it into the Monster Seats, doubling the Sox lead.
Finally, after a month of April that saw him begin slowly, then spend more than two weeks on the disabled list because of a sprained thumb ligament, Lowell feels it coming together at the plate.
"I can't say that I did this or I did that,'' said Lowell of his turnaround. "I think I just needed some at-bats under my belt.''
Then again, as Lowell pointed out, the Sox were up against some good performances from Toronto and Tampa Bay starting pitchers.
"I'm happy with the way things are going now," said Lowell, who has five homers in the the last 12 games and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games. "I hope it continues."
The odds would seem to be in his favor, since Lowell has traditionally been a better hitter at Fenway than he has on the road.
"I think people break down numbers so much, it's hard to figure some things out,'' he said. "In 2006, I hit better on the road (.310 away from home and .260 at Fenway) and last year, I was better here (.373 at Fenway and .276 in road games). Someone told me last year that all of my homers either came at home or against A.L. East teams. But this year, my first three homers came against A.L. Central teams (Detroit and Minnesota). So, who knows?
"I just know my job is to produce in the middle of the order.''
And finally, he's doing that.
Posted by Sean McAdam 
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