Home run monster: Ross does it again

Ross belted a walk-off three-run homer to beat the White Sox, 3-1, on Thursday night at Fenway Park.

It was the third three-run jack for the outfielder in two games. He drove in a season-high six runs in Wednesday's 10-1 win, and didn't cool down on Thursday with another homer over the Green Monster.

"It's an incredible feeling, something that you really can't describe with words," said Ross of his first walk-off homer since Aug. 2, 2009, against the Cubs when he was a member of the Marlins. "The emotions that are going through your body, you just try to take it all in and try not to rush it and remember that, because you don't have very many opportunities to do that."

With David Ortiz out of the lineup for a third straight game, Ross has picked up the offensive slack for the Red Sox, who did get Dustin Pedroia back from the disabled list.

Over the years, late-inning heroics have typically fallen on Big Papi's broad shoulders. On Thursday, it was Ross' turn.

"I want to be the guy up every time in that situation," he said. "I always have my whole life. I just like that pressure and I like just being there in the moment. I can't really compare it to anything, it's just a great feeling especially when you come though and you're a hero. There's no better feeling."

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is looking forward to more heroics from his right fielder.

"I love his smile, I love his swing, I love his energy," Valentine said. "And he's not getting traded. Don't want to start any rumors."

Carl Crawford started the rally with a leadoff single to right off Matt Thornton. Pedroia narrowly avoided a double play and reached first on a fielder's choice. Adrian Gonzalez followed with his second single of the game to set the table for Ross, who delivered off of Addison Reed.

When Ross crossed home plate, closer Alfredo Aceves showered him with a bucket of Gatorade.

"I needed something with some color," said Aceves, who picked up his first win of the year. "It's an exciting way to win."

The victory sealed a series win for Boston, which took three out of four from the American League Central-leading White Sox.

Facing a rookie left-hander for the second time in as many games, the Red Sox couldn't recreate their offensive explosion from Wednesday night.

White Sox starter Jose Quintana shut out the Red Sox over eight innings, but the Red Sox rallied against the Chicago bullpen in the ninth. It was the first time Boston scored all of its runs on a walk-off homer since June 4, 1995.

Boston knocked around Pedro Hernandez in his Major League debut on Wednesday for eight runs in four-plus innings with three homers. But Quintana did not suffer the same fate.

"I felt all my pitches were good," said Quintana, who retired 19 of the first 20 batters he faced. "It's one of those things that I was just trying to throw strikes in there and I had a good understanding of what the strong points are of some of these batters. I just try to throw the ball in the right place."

Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz did his part to keep the home team in the game. The right-hander was terrific in his second start since a stint on the disabled list, allowing one run in eight innings with six strikeouts. His only blemish was a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

He was in line to get a loss before Ross' bomb landed in the third row of the Monster Seats.

"You can't ever expect something like that to happen, but it makes you feel really good when it does," Buchholz said.

It was another strong outing for Buchholz, who is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 45 strikeouts over his last seven starts since May 27.

"I feel pretty confident in most all of my pitches each time I go out and I think that plays a big key in going out and having success and keeping the team in the game in a game like this," he said.

Boston's best chance against Quintana came in the seventh after consecutive singles by Pedroia, Gonzalez and Ross loaded the bases for Will Middlebrooks.

The third baseman battled during an eight-pitch at-bat before grounding into a double play to end the threat.

Quintana allowed just one hit prior to the seventh, Pedro Ciriaco's two-out triple in the third. After that he promptly struck out Jacoby Ellsbury to end the scoring chance.

"He had some tough, tough spots there," said Chicago manager Robin Ventura. "Bases loaded and he gets the big double play. He's a mature kid. He's got everything you want as a pitcher. He has a lot of guts to go with it."

But Ross erased all that with his 16th homer of the year. He described the scene at home plate, where his teammates stood eager to congratulate him.

"I felt like a bunch of piranhas jumped on me and started attacking me," Ross said with a smile. "I look up and [Nick] Punto is staring right at me with this evil look on his face and he just grabs my jersey and is yanking on it. He became famous in St. Louis for that. They call him the shredder. So we got to meet the shredder tonight."