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June 24, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
SAN DIEGO – Josh Bard couldn’t catch Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball, but apparently, he sure can hit it.
The former Red Sox catcher, dealt to San Diego last May 1 after struggling as Wakefield’s designated receiver, drilled a run-scoring double and a two-run homer off his former batterymate, accounting for half of the Padres’ output in a 6-1 thrashing of the Red Sox Saturday night.
The loss snapped Boston’s winning streak at four. The Sox struck out a season-high 13 times – 11 against San Diego starter Chris Young – and managed just two hits until the ninth inning when a triple from David Murphy and a double by Mike Lowell, both off reliever Justin Hampson, helped the Sox avoid a shutout.
The towering Young, who at 6-foot-10 is as tall as Randy Johnson, held the Sox hitless through the first four innings before J.D. Drew reached on a leadoff single in the fifth. As it turned out, that was the only hit off Young all night, who improved to 7-3.
''He elevates his fastball,'' said Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, ''and kept us off balance with his slider. We couldn’t get anything going. It’s tough, with (the downward plane of Young's pitches) – the gun shows just 90-91 mph, but (the fastball) seems a lot harder.''
''He’s got some deception,'' said manager Terry Francona. ''The hitters don’t get a good look at the ball.''
The umpiring crew reversed two on-field calls, benefitting the Padres both times.
With San Diego already leading 2-0, Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a sinking liner to left. Manny Ramirez attempted a tumbling catch, which third-base umpire Brian Knight ruled an out. But after conferring on the field, the umpires ruled – correctly, according to replays – that Ramirez trapped the ball.
Following a sacrifice bunt which moved Kouzmanoff to second, Marcus Giles doubled him home.
In the sixth, with Mike Cameron aboard with a double, Bard drilled a ball down the left-field line which struck the foul pole attached to the brick building in left field. Knight initially called the ball foul, but further consultation with his fellow umpires, led by Doug Eddings, reversed the call and gave Bard a two-run homer.
''I have a feeling they probably ended up getting the calls right,'' said Francona, who nonetheless was ejected after arguing the second call. ''When the umpires confer, you appreciate it because getting the call right is what’s important. Sometimes, you just feel like yelling at someone.''
Wakefield said the reversals were ''very deflating . . . An umpire’s (initial) call should stand.''
Wakefield, 7-8, began the night nearly as well as Young, allowing just two hits and a run (on Bard’s RBI double) through the fourth inning. But he allowed a solo homer to Khalil Greene to start the fifth before the Kouzmanoff reversal expanded the lead to 3-0.
In the sixth, he gave up back-to-back solo homers to Bard and Greene (again).
''It seems like every ball I made a mistake on,'' said Wakefield, ''they hit. The stuff I had tonight, to give up six runs in 5 1/3 innings, blows me away.''
That Bard did much of the damage was ironic, since he was dealt off after demonstrating that he couldn’t properly handle Wakefield’s signature pitch. The switch-hitting Bard batted right-handed, a strategy that worked.
''He’s throwing 66 mph and I’ve been comfortable batting right-handed,'' Bard said. ''It’s very tough to catch. That’s why I’m waiting for these guys to get out of town so I can stop talking about it.''
Mike Timlin and Kyle Snyder chipped in with 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Wakefield, but by then, the damage was done and the Sox could muster little offense. They hardly seemed like the same team that banged out 20 runs in a three-game series last weekend at Fenway or crushed Atlanta pitching for 15 runs in two wins earlier this week.
The ninth inning, two-out run ruined the Padres’ chance for what would have been their 12th shutout.
Posted by Sean McAdam 
at 1:41 AM | Permalink
jim | June 24, 2007 10:47 AM link
john | June 24, 2007 11:56 AM link
When are they going to get smart and get rid of Lugo? The guy is a complete waste and doesn't have a clue. Leave Lowell at third, put Cora at short and leave Pedroia at 2nd. Move Wakefield to a middle reliever positon, its obvious that around the fourth inning he starts to get pummeled and for god sakes, lose Mirabelli, the guy is a total embarassment. Wake up Francona!!!