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June 27, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
SEATTLE – For the second night in a row, the Red Sox got into their bullpen way ahead of schedule. Predictably, for the second night in a row, it didn’t end well for them.
Kason Gabbard, promoted from Pawtucket to take the spot of Curt Schilling, lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his second major-league start of the season and the four relievers who followed him didn’t fare much better in an 8-7 defeat to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.
The loss, Boston’s second in a row, puts the Sox in position to be swept in a three-game series for the first time this season. The Sox have lost seven in a row at Safeco Field, which is fast becoming what Royals Stadium was to another generation of Red Sox players in the 1970s.
Each time the Sox drew closer, the Mariners tacked on to their advantage. Despite 14 hits, the Sox never led after a brief 1-0 edge in the top of the first.
It didn't seem to matter that the Sox got more hits against Seattle phenom Felix Hernandez in the first two at-bats than they did in an entire game back on April 11, or that they knocked him around for six runs on 11 hits.
They had bigger problems of their own -- their own pitchers.
''I thought we showed a lot of fight and spirit to come back,'' said Terry Francona.
But the Sox always seemed to be one hit shy of taking the game back. They stranded 10, but five of those were left at third base and another two on second. They didn’t just strand runners – they completely abandoned them.
''It was,'' acknowledged Francona, ''a tough night. We were fighting uphill all the way.''
Their last, best shot came in the eighth when Coco Crisp worked a leadoff walk and Dustin Pedroia followed by blooping a single into right as Crisp scooted to third.
But Seattle brought in George Sherrill from the bullpen and he fanned David Ortiz. Closer J.J. Putz was then summoned with five outs to go and after allowing a sacrifice fly to center to Kevin Youkilis, retired J.D. Drew on a groundout, as pinch-runner Julio Lugo was stranded at second.
Putz shifted into overdrive in the ninth, striking out the side – Mike Lowell, Jason Varitek and pinch-hitter Manny Ramirez.
''He’s one of the best,'' said Francona. ''He did the job right when he had to.''
Without Joel Pineiro, who twisted an ankle during stretching exercises prior to Monday’s opener and was unavailable last night, the Sox had some unfavorable matchups in the middle innings and they cost them.
Manny Delcarmen bailed Gabbard out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth, but -- after his teammates had surged back and tied the game, 4-4, with two runs in the top of the fifth -- was tagged for two runs of his own in the fifth on two singles, a hit batsman and a sacrifice fly.
Boston tied the game again, 6-6, with two runs in the sixth. But in the bottom of the inning, lefty Javy Lopez had to face right-hander Richie Sexson with Jose Vidro on first and gave up a two-run homer, giving the Mariners the lead for good.
Trailing 4-1 after two innings, the Sox began to claw back in the third.
Crisp reached on an error, took second on a groundout to the left side and scored on the first of Ortiz’ three singles.
But after Youkilis singled Ortiz to third, the Sox’ inning fizzled on fielder’s choice by Drew and a spectacular diving grab by Seattle second baseman Jose Lopez, who gloved a bullet from Lowell that seemed ticketed for center field.
The Sox knotted the game in the fifth when Lowell drove a ball off the top of the fence of left – missing a home run by inches – and landing on third with a two-run triple as Ortiz (single) and Drew (single) scored ahead of him.
But with Lowell on third, Hernandez fanned Varitek, marking the fourth time in the first five innings that the Sox had ended an inning with a baserunner on third.
Gabbard’s start was, to be charitable, ineffective.
''When I was warming up, I felt great,'' said Gabbard. ''But after (striking out) Ichiro (Suzuki to open the game), I got out of the groove and couldn’t get back. Out of the stretch, I was a little too quick with my fastball.''
''He struggled with his command, obviously,'' said Francona, who made it a point to note that Gabbard would make his next scheduled start, Monday against Texas. ''He had a lot of deep counts and a lot of walks.''
In the first inning alone, he walked four and hit another, spotting the Mariners three runs. An inning-ending double-play from Yuniesky Betancourt bailed him out of further trouble, as the Mariners stranded two.
The lefty got himself right back into trouble in the second, allowing a leadoff homer to Willie Bloomquist, then surrendering singles to Ichiro and Jose Lopez. But once more, a double play – this one from Vidro – saved him and Gabbard did the rest, fanning Sexson with Ichiro anchored at third.
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