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Rain washes out Sox-Yanks game; doubleheaders next

NEW YORK -- Tonight's Red Sox-Yankees matchup has been rained out, according to the team's Web site.

The teams will now play back-to-back doubleheaders tomorrow and Sunday -- four games in two days. Tomorrow's first game is scheduled to start at 1:20 p.m., the second at 8:05 p.m.

Going into the four-game series, the Red Sox trail the archrival Yankees by 11.5 games with less than three weeks in the regular season.

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

It's official: Sox acquire Kottras

BOSTON -- The Red Sox on Tuesday acquired minor league catcher George Kottaras from San Diego to complete the trade that sent pitcher David Wells to the Padres.

Kottaras, 23, was added to the 40-man roster and assigned to Double-A Portland, where he will play for the Sea Dogs in the upcoming Eastern League playoffs, the Red Sox announced.

Boston also recalled left-hander Kason Gabbard and right-hander Craig Hansen from Triple-A Pawtucket. Gabbard, 0-3, 6.35 ERA in four appearances for Boston this season, was scheduled to start Tuesday night's game against the White Sox.

The Red Sox designated right-hander Jermaine Van Buren for assignment to make room for Kottaras on the 40-man roster.

Kottaras has combined for a .255 batting average with 10 homers and 50 RBI in 111 games at Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Portland this season.

-- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Posted by Art  at 5:34 PM | Permalink

Ortiz cleared to return

BOSTON -- The Red Sox announced today that David Ortiz, sidelined since last week as doctors checked him for potential heart problems, has been given medical clearance to return to action tonight. He is expected to be in the lineup when Boston hosts the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 p.m.

The team's statement:

"BOSTON, MA—The ongoing monitoring of David Ortiz has not identified any further problem. As a result, the team of consultants caring for David has met and decided to allow him to return to play today. The Red Sox medical staff will continue to monitor David on a daily basis."

Posted by Art  at 2:46 PM | Permalink

Lester diagnosed with 'treatable' form of cancer

BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox rookie left-hander Jon Lester has a treatable form of anaplastic large cell lymphoma and will start treatment in the coming week, the team announced Friday.

Enlarged lymph nodes were identified when Lester, 22, was tested to determine the cause of back pain that sent him to the disabled list on Monday.

Manager Terry Francona visited Lester on Thursday morning and several players commented later that day, before the diagnosis was announced.

Pitcher Curt Schilling referred to the melanoma his wife dealt with several years ago.

''Having been in a situation where cancer was an operative word, it's an incredibly scary thing,'' Schilling said Thursday. ''You're talking about a kid at the beginning of his life.''

Lester is 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings.

Posted by Art  at 6:33 PM | Permalink

Varitek homers

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek (knee) hit a solo home run in his first at-bat for the PawSox tonight. He began his two-game rehab stint and crushed a 1-2 offering from Ottawa pitcher Cory Morris and deposited it on to the right-field patio at McCoy Stadium.

“I feel pretty good,” he said prior to last night's game. “It’s exciting just to be able to play again.”

Red Sox outfielder Trot Nixon (biceps strain) is DHing and leading off for the PawSox, and field out to deep right field.

Red Sox infielder Alex Gonzalez (oblique strain) was scheduled to make a rehab appearance tonight, but that was changed. He is slated to be here tomorrow.

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 6:19 PM | Permalink

Red Sox change starting times of Saturday and Sunday games

Because of the storm that is expected to hit the area late Saturday afternoon and last until mid-day Sunday, the Red Sox have changed the starting times of both of this weekend's games:

-- Saturday's game, which was originally scheduled for 7:05 p.m., will now start at 1:05 p.m.

-- Sunday's game, which was originally scheduled for 2:05 p.m., will now start at 4:05 p.m.

Posted by Art  at 5:12 PM | Permalink

Sox recall Breslow and Murphy

While three of their players (Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon and Alex Gonzalez) are in Pawtucket tonight, two members of the PawSox have reported to Boston -- now that the active rosters have been expanded to 40 -- and are in uniform for tonight's game.

Relief pitcher Craig Breslow and outfielder David Murphy have been recalled.

The Red Sox release:

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Red Sox today announced that the club has recalled lefthanded pitcher Craig Breslow and outfielder David Murphy from Triple-A Pawtucket of the International League.

Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein made the announcements.

Breslow (#54) and Murphy (#60) will be in uniform for tonight’s game with Toronto. With today’s additions, Boston has 27 players on its active roster.

Breslow, 26, is 7-1 with a 2.69 ERA and seven saves in 39 relief appearances with Pawtucket this season and was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Pitcher in a vote of his teammates. He leads the PawSox in appearances and ranks second in saves while holding opposing batters to a .200 average. Breslow, who has 77 strikeouts in 67 innings, has not allowed an earned run in his last 11 appearances over 17.1 innings with a 2-0 record and two saves. He was Pawtucket’s representative on the International League team for the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game.

This will be his third tour of duty with Boston this season. He was purchased from Pawtucket on July 13 and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in his lone appearance on July 14 versus Oakland before being optioned to the PawSox on July 16. Breslow was recalled on August 14 and worked 1.2 scoreless innings that night against Detroit before returning to Pawtucket on August 18.

Signed as a free agent on February 1, 2006, Breslow was a non-roster invitee in Boston’s major league spring training camp. He made his major league debut in 2005, posting a 2.20 ERA in 14 appearances over three stints with San Diego. Breslow held lefthanded batters to a .063 (1-for-16) batting average with the Padres. In his only season with the San Diego organization, he also combined for a 2-2 record in 47 games at Mobile and Portland. The lefthander spent his first three pro seasons (2002-04) in the Milwaukee organization.

Murphy, 24, will be making his major league debut. The lefthanded batter combined for a .269 (132-490) average with 40 doubles, 11 homers, and 69 RBI in 131 games with Double-A Portland and Pawtucket in 2006. He hit .273 with three homers and 25 RBI in 47 games with the Sea Dogs to earn a promotion to Pawtucket on May 26. Murphy has a .267 average with eight homers and 44 RBI with the PawSox.

The 17th overall selection by the Red Sox in the 2003 First Year Player Draft, Murphy is in his fourth professional season. He was selected as the Red Sox Defensive Player of the Year at Portland in 2005, when he hit .275 with 14 homers and 75 RBI in 135 games.

Posted by Art  at 5:07 PM | Permalink