Pedroia turns 25 today

Speaking of Pedroia, it's his 25th birthday today. But you know how it seems the birthday boy, or girl, always has a terrible time on their own party .... Pedroia, thus far, has grounded into a double play in the first, and struck out in the third.

Never mind. He has unwrapped a stack of presents this season. Entering the game, he was 11 for 20 with 4 dobles, a homer, and 4 RBIs in the last four games, and had hit safely in 41 of the last 45 games, reaching base safely in 43. In 52 games since June 14, he is batting .397 to improve from .260 to .322, best in the American League. Pedroia's 91 hits in that span are 11 more than any other player in the majors (Curtis Granderson, Matt Holliday, Jose Reyes).

Pedroia scored his 90th run of the season Saturday against the Jays, the most for a Red Sox second baseman since Mark Bellhorn (93) in 2004. The club record for a second baseman is 103 by Bobby Doerr in 1950. Pedroia's 17 runs in August top the AL.