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BOSTON -- Dustin Pedroia has been in the heart of Bostons batting order during its strong start. His play was on the mind of San Diego manager Bud Black before the game. Pedroia hit a two-run double to jump-start Bostons 18-hit effort, David Ortiz had a two-run single and the Red Sox wrapped up a big homestand by beating San Diego 8-2 Thursday, sending the Padres to their season-high sixth straight loss. "Hes been in the middle of this offence from Day One and continues to be so," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Pedroia, who raised his average to .325 by going 2 for 4. Brandon Snyder and Jacoby Ellsbury each had solo homers for the Red Sox. Boston went 8-1 at Fenway Park to match its best homestand since June 2010. The Red Sox also won for the 12th time in its last 14 games at home. The AL East leaders improved to 19 games over .500 (53-34). Sitting in his uncomfortably warm office about two hours before the game, Black praised the play of Pedroia. It didnt take long for the Red Sox second baseman to make him look good. "Pedroia might be the MVP of the league so far. I think you can make a case for it," he said. Pedroias two-run double in the first moved Boston ahead 2-0. Ellsbury singled leading off to extend his season-high hitting streak to 14 games and Shane Victorino doubled off the Green Monster before Pedroia doubled into the left-field corner. "What were seeing of late is hes starting to pull the ball," Farrell said. "Its a byproduct of getting pitched in a little more because hes gotten so many hits the other way. We know that when either an offspeed pitch stays in the middle of the plate or a fastballs in the inner part of the plate, hes always been a dead-pull hitter in those locations of pitches." The 2008 AL MVP just feels like hes taking a simple approach each time he steps to the plate. "I feel good," he said. "It depends if the balls in. Im trying to hit the ball where its pitched. If Im pulling the ball, it means theyre throwing it in a little more. Thats it." The Padres have scored just seven runs in their losing streak. They also lost for the 10th time in 12 games. "They know whats ahead of them. They know what the challenge is," Black said after the game. "This is the part of the season, part of the summer where its hot, its hot for everybody. Youve got to keep pushing through. We were swept in this series. Weve swept some teams to get back in the race in the west, but our guys know whats in front of them." Allen Webster (1-2) pitched six innings for his first major league win, allowing two runs and five hits, while walking four and striking out two. Chase Headley didnt feel like the slump has been that bad despite the team scoring two or fewer nine of the last 12 games. "I think its looked worse than it has been," he said. "Weve had some at-bats in situations where we had a chance to drive in runs and the guys hit the ball hard and it just hasnt gone in the hole for us. Obviously its disappointing when you put one, two runs up on the board for an extended period of time. I think as a group, I dont think its maybe as far off as it looks." The Red Sox open a three-city, 10-game West Coast trip Friday night in Anaheim against the Angels. Eric Stults (6-7) gave up four runs and nine hits over 4 1-3 innings without walking or striking out a batter. He was tagged for seven runs -- six earned -- in 3 2-3 innings in his previous start Saturday in a loss at Miami after giving up two runs or less in his previous six. In the second, Snyder homered into Bostons bullpen to make it 3-0. Ortizs bases-loaded, two-run single off reliever Tyson Ross in the sixth gave the Red Sox a comfortable 7-2 lead. Ellsbury homered over the bullpens to make it 8-2. Headleys sacrifice fly had cut it to 3-1 in the third before Jose Iglesias run-scoring, ground-rule double pushed Bostons lead back to three an inning later. The Padres sliced it to 4-2 in the fifth on Jesus Guzmans single high off the left-field wall -- when he missed a homer by a couple of feet -- but Webster got Mark Kotsay to line to left, ending the inning with two runners on. Jonny Gomes RBI single made it 5-2. NOTES: Black said he expects SS Everth Cabrera, on the 15-day DL since June 19 with an injured left hamstring, to be activated when the club opens a three-game series against the Nationals on Friday night. ... Boston 1B Mike Napoli was back in the lineup after getting Wednesday night off. With a left-hander starting for San Diego, Gomes was also inserted into the lineup one day after hitting a game-ending homer in the ninth inning. ... Black also discussed options for his teams struggling offence. "You have to try and do everything you can to get things going," he said, saying theyd run and bunt with the right people. "When youre not scoring things look a little flat. As people in the game know, that happens everywhere. When you score, sometimes you score in bunches and you lose and the pitching wasnt solid, but youre playing hard. Were playing hard, but were just not scoring runs." ... Farrell said he hopes SS Stephen Drew, sidelined since last Friday after aggravating his right hamstring, will be back in the lineup Saturday. ... The gametime temperature was 91. Lamar Jackson Jersey . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Marquise Brown Jersey .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Miles-Boykin-Jersey/ . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ray Lewis Ravens Jersey . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Ray Lewis Youth Jersey . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Team GB was presented with a growing problem on Sunday: Which of its super successful athletes should it choose as its flag carrier for the closing ceremony.As each day passes, more and more stars are made as the medals roll in and the list of potential candidates gets ever stronger. Max Whitlock was one of the latest to add his name to the list on a sensational Sunday, and he didnt seem quite prepared for how much his life could change as a result.He struck gymnastics gold twice in less than two hours, in the floor exercise and pommel horse; Britain had never before won an Olympic title in his sport. Whitlock made more history for winning two individual events on the same day, something only rider Richard Meade had come close to, in 1972, when he triumphed in team and individual eventing competitions.The only dark spot on his new, ever-brightening horizon came from a Twitter storm that claimed teammate Louis Smith, who took silver and was visibly upset at the result; Smith snubbed Whitlock at the end of the competition, their rivalry seemingly taking on an ugly bitterness, but the pair embraced at the medal ceremony and Smith said later that he would rather lose to Whitlock than anyone else, that the 23-year-old deserved the gold.We are friends, said Smith, who plans to return to his television career next year, and focus on gymnastics after that. After this we will have a few drinks.Whitlock admitted the competition between them was tough, but judged on what they said, at least, it hasnt become personal. Whatever the reality of their relationship, it shouldnt detract from the magic of Whitlock. He had only given himself an outside chance of winning a medal of any colour in the floor routine on Sunday, and ended up as champion.The mistakes of others helped: six-time world all-round champion Kohai Ichimura, the man Whitlock hero-worships, stepped off the square; floor favourite Kenzo Shirai lost his footing three times; and American Samuel Mikulak put a foot out of touch.Whitlocks routine still had to be very good, and it was nearly flawless, but the way he reset between events was even more impressive.He had been jeered by a partisan crowd at the end of his routine as they cried out for their heroes, the eventual silver and bronze medallists Diego Hypolito and Artur Mariano, to succeed. He hadnt expected to take a historic gold, either, and had to prepare to take on Smith, who had been the senior partner four years ago, claiming silver to Whitlocks bronze.It was quite difficult to come back for the second event, Whitlock said after his third superb pommel horse performance of the week.dddddddddddd I couldnt take in what I had just done in the floor. I went back into the training gym and refocused and went out to deliver again.This has outdone all of my expectations and I am proud to say I have made history. The potential has always been there in the pommel horse but the floor was different and gold didnt seem possible.Louis congratulated me coming out, which I really appreciated. We are one and two in the world, and that is a great place to be.Smith tells a story that 12 years ago British Gymnastics officials, newly deprived of funding, laughed at the idea of a Briton winning Olympic gold. Now when preparations for Tokyo 2020 draw near, they might be incredulous at the notion the nation will not take the top spot on the podium in their sport at least once.Whitlock has the potential to dominate on the pommel horse for some time -- his routine was comfortably better than those of his rivals in just about every aspect -- and he will surely be inspired to become as consistently good on the floor over the next four years.He indicated as much even before his media conference had taken place here, saying: Thats not me done. Ill be back in the gym soon and working hard; this motivates me to do even more in the sport.Off the mats and the pommel horse, life will likely be more than a little different for Whitlock. He is engaged to be married to his long-term partner, Leah Hickton, next year, and the pairs profile had risen considerably even before his stunning success in Brazil.He is a grounded guy who only really looks fazed when he is waiting for the final results at the end of an event, and that is because he doesnt like to watch his rivals and doesnt keep track.That is probably why he was able to produce two brilliant performances in such a short space of time; that and the tough, focused mindset of all great champions. Hopefully, it will also enable him and Hickton, a gymnastics coach, to handle to an intensified spotlight as the couples media appeal may well see them put on a pedestal.Mo Farah said somebody told him that his double-gold-medal feats at London 2012 would change his life forever, and he didnt believe them until he had to start going out in a hoodie to prevent photographers and others bothering him incessantly.Whitlock brushed off a similar sugh, his success, in his sport, was just as spe