"Dustin Pedroia won Rookie of the Year in 2007. He topped that with an MVP in 2008. He was an All-Star in 2009 and '10. So it's saying something that he might be playing the best baseball of his career right now.

It reveals itself not in the stats (Pedroia's hitting just .264), but in the moments, like during the fifth inning of last night's 9-5 victory against the Angels, when Pedroia won the game within the game against Jered Weaver, and the Red Sox followed suit.

Pedroia worked the best pitcher in baseball for 13 grueling pitches before lining a two-run single to center that gave the Sox a 3-2 lead they never relinquished.

"Just two guys with unbelievably strong wills, and neither one of them is going to give in in that situation," saluted shortstop Jed Lowrie. "He made a tough pitch, and Pedey was just able to hit it back up the middle and hit it hard. He won that matchup."

The at-bat was a classic, pitting one of the game's toughest outs against a pitcher who began the night with a 0.99 ERA and a perfect 6-0 record.

It should come as no surprise that Pedroia prevailed. It's been that kind of season for the most exciting player on the Red Sox, someone who manages to find himself smack in the middle of virtually everything good they do.

"He doesn't give in," said manager Terry Francona. "I mean, not just at the plate, but on the bases, in the field. He plays the game. He's a ballplayer."

He was most definitely a ballplayer against Weaver, a former college foe when Pedroia was at Arizona State and Weaver at Long Beach State."