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Game Story: Sox get two in ninth, edge D'Rays

BOSTON – Heading into last night, the Boston Red Sox were just 1-41 when trailing after eight innings. Now make that 2-42.

Back in the lineup after missing three out of the last four games with a virus, Coco Crisp followed up a Mike Lowell homer and a two-out double by Jason Varitek with the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth, as the Sox edged Tampa Bay, 2-1, last night at Fenway.

The only other time they have celebrated a walk-off win was way back on Mother's Day when Boston scored all of its runs in the ninth inning of a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on May 13.

``Especially with knowing the Yankees lost, this is just a good win,'' said Sox reliever Eric Gagne, who secured the win after pitching a scoreless ninth. ``Momentum changes with something like this. We didn't swing the bats great, so to win is real good.''

The focus of Boston's excitement began on the mound, where Jon Lester was making his first start at Fenway since facing the Yankees here on Aug. 18 of last year. After lasting just 3.1 innings last Wednesday at Anaheim, an outing in which he received a no decision after giving up 5 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks, the young lefty produced a solid effort last night – and at eight innings, his longest since going that long in a combined one-hitter with Jonathan Papelbon against Kansas City on July 18, 2006.

``He was aggressive with his fastball, commanded it,'' Francona said. ``(He) threw his cutter, change up and curve ball. And from the first pitch – even though he threw three balls – he was aggressive, down with a good angle on his fastball. Even his demeanor on the mound looked different. He looked like he was in charge of the game.''

After giving up a leadoff walk to the Rays' Akinori Iwamura, Lester then retired the next nine batters. It wasn't until the fourth that Carl Crawford ended his bid for a no-hitter with a leadoff double off the left-field wall. A B.J. Upton liner just managed to elude the glove of second baseman Dustin Pedroia for a single that moved Crawford to third.

Carlos Pena then drove Crawford in with a sacrifice fly to center to put Tampa Bay up, 1-0. That's the way the score would stay until the bottom of the ninth, as Boston continued to have difficulty against the Rays' Scott Kazmir.

Coming into last night's game, the only Sox in the lineup that had ever had much success against the southpaw were Dustin Pedroia (.500) and Julio Lugo (.400). That very much remained the case in this outing, as well, as Kazmir gave up just four hits – two of them to Pedroia, the first being a double high off the left-field wall – over six innings.

``He's a young lefthander with exceptional stuff,'' Sox manager Terry Francona said of Kazmir.``He had all his pitches working tonight. He pretty much had his way with us.''

Boston also couldn't get anything going against right-handed relievers Gary Glover (in the seventh) or Warwick native Dan Wheeler (in the eighth), but gave itself a chance by keeping Tampa Bay from pushing any more runs across.

Relieving Lester in the eighth, Manny Delcarmen gave up a leadoff single to Jonny Gomes, then walked Josh Wilson. Josh Paul sacrificed them both over with a bunt down the third-base line.

After getting Iwamura to hit a fly-out to left that was too shallow for Gomes to try to tag, Delcarmen intentionally walked Crawford to load the bases.

Mike Timlin took over for Delcarmen at that point and got B.J. Upton to strike out swinging to end that threat. Francona then handed Gagne the ball in the ninth.

Though he drew some boos when he threw three straight balls to start his outing, Gagne, who blew two leads in Boston's weekend series at Baltimore, had the Sox fans quickly cheering him on again, as the right-hander proceeded to strike out Carlos Pena and Delmon Young. He surrendered a two-out double to right to Brendan Harris, but had the sell-out crowd roaring again when he fanned Jonny Gomes for the final out of the inning.

Those cheers would continue in the bottom half of the frame. After Manny Ramirez started off Boston's final at-bat looking at a called third strike, Lowell came through with the Red Sox' first home run in a week, blasting a 2-and-0 pitch from Al Reyes onto Lansdowne Street.

Kevin Youkilis also struck out looking, but Varitek then bounced a ground-rule double over the right-field wall, which Crisp followed with a line drive to right to drive him home.

``We had obviously a pretty quiet night offensively, and then Mike Lowell jumps on a pitch and the whole complexion of the game changes,'' Francona said. ``All of a sudden, the tide (turned). We have (Hideki) Okajima in the bullpen, we're at home and our inning's not over. Jason has a great at-bat. I think from the dugout, we all didn't think it was going out, but we were blowing on it and pushing it, hoping it would go. And then Coco has a real good at-bat and stays on it enough. And then you're just hoping the ball short hops like it did because you know (Tampa Bay outfielder Delmon Young has) got a good arm out there. It's nice to see our guys jumping on each other. We haven't seen that a lot.''

--CAROLYN THORNTON

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 11:06 PM | Permalink

Game Story: PawSox win fifth straight

OTTAWA — It may be a modest one, as high-water marks go, but the Pawtucket Red Sox last night hit a standard that had eluded them the whole season.

They won their fifth game in a row, something they failed to do on four previous occasions.

That achievement came their way by taking a 5-3 count from the Ottawa Lynx, before 1,786 at Lynx Stadium.

“We’re just playing good right now,” said Ed Rogers, a former Lynx, who scored what proved to be the winning run in the sixth inning. “Everything is working together, right now. We’re playing as a team.”

The Pawsox fell behind 2-0 in the third, when starter Devern Hansack (8-7) allowed two of his seven hits in his 62/3 inning stint.

Pawtucket was held scoreless for five innings by Lynx starter J.A. Happ. But in the sixth, Happ, who had fanned 10 PawSox, issued a walk to Jed Lowrie.

Then, with two away, Brandon Moss singled to left, which set the stage for Bobby Scales’ three run shot over the left field wall, putting Pawtucket up 3-2.

It was his eighth homer of the season, and second in as many nights.

“I’m really pleased for Bobby Scales,” said PawSox skipper Ron Johnson. “The last time up, he struck out with the bases loaded. Then he comes back and hits a three run homer to give us the lead.”

Ottawa replied with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but next inning, Pawtucket regained the lead for good, when Rogers led off with a single, worked his way to third, then was singled home by Jacoby Ellsbury.

Joe McEwing added some breathing room in the ninth, by clubbing a solo homer on an 0-2 pitch.Closer Travis Hughes nailed down the last two outs to pick up his 19th save.

“It’s great that everybody is picking up their game toward the end of the season,” Hughes said. “It shows that everybody still has energy to play.”

AROUND THE BASES: Although his first day on the job in that Aug. 8 doubleheader in Scranton is one he’d rather forget, outfielder Bobby Kielty is showing that he’s just about ready for a promotion to Boston.

Kielty, of course, was signed as outfield insurance by Boston after Oakland let him go in July, then was assigned to Pawtucket for a tune up.

“I’m starting to feel pretty good,” said the 29-year-old Californian. “I just needed to get my timing down.”

After going a combined 0-for-6 with five strikeouts in his PawSox debut, Kielty hit safely in the next five games, going 7-for-20, with two homers and four RBI.

“Those first couple of games were pretty bad,” he said. “But I should be ready to go.”
Kielty said he received no concrete guarantees from the Sox about being called up, but is of course, hoping to make a strong case for himself.

“Nothing’s really going on right now,” he said. “I’ll wait and see what happens. I think if I’m performing well, I’ll get a shot.”

The baseball trail is a long and sometimes twisted one, and as it happens, Kielty was a teammate of PawSox knuckleballer John Barnes back in 2000, when both were Minnesota Twins farmhands and Barnes was a promising slugger who would go on to compile a .301 lifetime average.

Kielty said he wasn’t taken completely by surprise when he found out that Barnes had made the mound conversion.

“It’s definitely funny,” Kielty said. “because he was a great hitter. But he always wanted to try pitching. I knew he had a good knuckleball back then, because he liked to throw it, and it was hard to catch. It wasn’t a huge surprise. I think it’s pretty cool.”

The teams will continue their series tonight (7 p.m.), when RHP Mike Burns (4-7, 4.25) will start against Lynx RHP John Ennis (4-4, 3.73).

--DAN HICKLING (Special to the Journal)

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 10:49 PM to PawSox | Permalink

Donnelly out of surgery

Earlier this afternoon, Sox manager Terry Francona received a text message from pitcher Brendan Donnelly after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in California.

``His text said he came through it great and he was just going to go rest,’’ Francona said. ``I think he was a little groggy, but he sent a real quick message that said, `Hey, I made it,’ and he’s okay, which I really appreciate a lot.’’

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 6:46 PM to Thornton | Permalink | Comments 1

Starting lineups, Aug. 14

TONIGHT'S LINEUPS:

BOSTON RED SOX
Lugo, ss
Pedroia, 2b
Ortiz, dh
Ramirez, lf
Lowell, 3b
Youkilis, 1b
Varitek, c
Crisp, cf
Pena, rf
SP: Jon Lester, LH

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Iwamura, 3b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Young, rf
Harris, 2b
Gomes, dh
Wilson, ss
Paul, c
SP: Scott Kazmir, LH

Posted by Carolyn Thornton  at 5:00 PM to Thornton | Permalink

Sox Streakers for August 14

Hot Streaks
-The Red Sox have played 21 consecutive series at home against Tampa Bay without losing one.
-Jonathan Papelbon is the first pitcher in Red Sox history to earn 28 saves in consecutive seasons.
-Julio Lugo has a team-high five-game hitting streak, during which he is 10 for 20 (.500) with three doubles, six RBI and three runs scored.
-Kevin Youkilis has played a club-record 155 consecutive error-free games at first base.
-For Tampa Bay: Carl Crawford is 29 for 58 (.500) over his last 14 games.
-Scott Kazmir is 4-1 with a 1.16 E.R.A. over his last six starts.

Cold Streaks
-Jon Lester has surrendered at least four runs in three consecutive starts.
-J.D. Drew has not homered since June 20.
-Kevin Youkilis is 1 for his last 12.
-For Tampa Bay: Carlos Pena is 3 for 29 (.103) on the team's current road trip.

Devil Rays vs. Jon Lester
-Brendan Harris, 1 for 2 (.500), 2B
-Akinori Iwamura, 1 for 2 (.500), BB
-Carlos Pena, 1 for 2 (.500)
-Jonny Gomes, 1 for 3 (.333), HR
-Josh Paul, 1 for 3 (.333), HR
-B.J. Upton, 1 for 3 (.333)
-Delmon Young, 0 for 2
-Greg Norton, 0 for 2
-Josh Wilson, 0 for 3
-Lester has made one career start against Tampa Bay. In July, he pitched 6.2 innings, surrendering four runs (all earned), striking out three and walking one. He picked up a no-decision in an extra-innings Red Sox win.

Red Sox vs. Scott Kazmir
-Dustin Pedroia, 3 for 6 (.500)
-Alex Cora, 2 for 4 (.500)
-Julio Lugo, 2 for 5 (.400)
-Mike Lowell, 4 for 14 (.286), HR, 2 BB
-Coco Crisp, 4 for 15 (.267), 2B, BB
-Doug Mirabelli, 2 for 8 (.250), 2B, 2 BB
-Wily Mo Pena, 3 for 12 (.250), 2B
-Jason Varitek, 4 for 17 (.235), 2B, 4 BB
-Kevin Youkilis, 3 for 18 (.167), 2B, 4 BB
-David Ortiz, 5 for 32 (.156), 2B, HR, 4 BB
-Manny Ramirez, 4 for 34 (.118), 2B, HR, 3 BB
-Eric Hinske, 0 for 2
-Kazmir is 5-3 with a 2.55 E.R.A. in 13 career starts against Boston. In two starts against the Red Sox this season, he is 0-1 with a 2.25 E.R.A. He picked up a no decision last month in a game Tampa Bay went on to win.

More Stuff
-All-time series: Boston 104, Tampa Bay 54; at Fenway Park: Boston 58, Tampa Bay 21; this season: Boston 6, Tampa Bay 1.
-Red Sox pitching has 10 shutouts this season, which is tied with Seattle for most in the American League.
-The Red Sox are 27-15 against the American League East.
-Manny Ramirez (1,594 career RBI) needs one RBI to tie Mike Schmidt for 31st on the all-time list.
-Ramirez ranks first all-time against Tampa Bay with 40 home runs, 129 RBI and a .648 slugging percentage.
-Dustin Pedroia's .326 batting average would be the fifth-highest by any qualifying rookie in the major leagues since 1960, and the highest since Albert Pujols (.329) and Ichiro Suzuki (.350) broke in, in 2001. It would be the highest average for a Red Sox rookie since Fred Lynn hit .331 in 1975.
-Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield have combined for more wins (29) than any other pair of starting teammates in the major leagues. Three other duos have 27 wins.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:12 PM to Projo Sox Streakers | Permalink

Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: Wakefield's Tampa dominance; what to do with Gagne

Sean McAdam rejoins us today for the latest edition of projo SoxTalk. Click here to listen to the full audio file. The topics: Tim Wakefield's amazing 18-2 record against the Devil Rays; Eric Gagne; Bobby Kielty; Wily Mo Pena; and Clay Buchholz.

Here are some excerpts from Sean's comments.

On Wakefield's 18-2 record against Tampa Bay: "Even [Rays manager] Joe Maddon, who has been there for a handful of these over the last couple of years, was stunned by that statistic after the game. I don't know if there's any plausible explanation, maybe the fact that the Devil Rays have certainly the last few years been comprised of very young and inexperienced hitters who don't have the patience for the knuckleball. I suppose you could factor in that Wakefield loves to pitch in domes and infield stadiums, where the action on the knuckleball is better, and of course in theory half his starts would come at Tropicana Field -- a domed stadium in St. Petersburg. But it may not be anything more complicated than the Devil Rays aren't very good, and when Wakefield's knuckleball is on, it's tough for any team to hit."

Will Gagne's role change? "They seem content on using him exactly as they had envisioned. Terry Francona said the worst decision I could make would be to do the easy thing, and that is, not pitch him in those [key] spots. But they know that Eric Gagne's much better than he looked in those two games in Baltimore, and they think it's important to stay behind him and show confidence in him, and know that he's going to come out of it pretty soon."

Why no one seems to want Wily Mo Pena: "It's one thing to take a gamble on Pena and not have to give up too much, because the Red Sox' asking price is obviously pretty modest here. but the problem becomes -- thanks to his service time and his arbitration eligibility -- he becomes a $4-million player next year. ... And people are saying, 'Do I really want to pay Wily Mo Pena $4-plus million in 2008,' and that is what scares a lot of teams off."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 11:58 AM to McAdam | Permalink

Baseball Today: Tuesday, August 14

ACES: Tim Wakefield, stopper? You don't normally think of him as such, but, as Sean McAdam reports, that's exactly what he was last night, limiting the Devil Rays to two hits and no runs over eight innings as the Red Sox erased some of the bad taste of their frustrating weekend in Baltimore with a 3-0 victory. In Inside The Game, Steven Krasner says Wakefield's knuckler was dancing so well that approximately 92 of his 100 pitches were knuckleballs, in contrast to most nights when he mixes in some fastballs and curves ''to surprise the opposition or battle back in the count.'' It didn't hurt that he was facing Tampa Bay; Joe McDonald writes the Rays were ''shaking their heads'' in wonder as Wakefield (above, AP Photo) raised his lifetime record against them to 18-2. (All stories projo.com)

YOU KNEW THIS WAS COMING: With the Sox' A.L. East lead down to four, the Boston Globe writes that ''the demons of history, exorcized in 2004, are rising again'' and finds fans who are ''grim, edgy, and defensive.'' On The Joy of Sox blog, Allan Wood -- quoting an SOSH poster named Lucen, who (warning! warning!) uses a bit of NSFW language -- shows why such talk is nonsense. To wit: Lucen, in the pieces I can use here, writes: ''[The Red Sox] played .692 ball the first two months of the season. They've played .587 since. They are not collapsing, the Yankees are simply insanely hot . . . The only two teams in the AL with better records than us since June 1st are Seattle and the Yankees. And Seattle hasn't been much better than us.'' To which Allan responds: ''Amen, brother.'' As do I.

ALLOW ME TO VENT: Chad Finn, though, voices the inner fears of Red Sox Nation, while admitting ''it's largely the frustration from [Sunday's] loss that's making me think this way.'' (touchingallthebases.blogspot.com)

SUPPORT FROM A STRANGE SOURCE: But Jay Payton, who burned just about every bridge there is when he left Boston in 2005, says the Red Sox won't fold. (New York Daily News)

THEY STILL RANK: SI.com still lists the Sox ahead of the Yankees in their Power Rankings, though the Angels have taken over the No. 1 spot and dropped Boston to No. 2.

THEN I MET A MAN WHO HAD NO FEET: Things could be worse, Sox fans. You could be rooting for the Tigers. (Detroit News)

DESPERATE FOR RELIEF: The Globe's Nick Cafardo tries to unravel the mystery of Eric Gagne's struggles since arriving in Boston. In his Fantasy Blog on SI.com, James Quintong notes that the league is hitting .455 against Gagne since he joined the Red Sox. FoxSports.com's Kevin Hench gives the Sox an 'F' for the Gagne deal in a trade-deadline report card.

WELCOME BACK: Tonight Jon Lester makes his first start at Fenway Park since being diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma almost exactly one year ago. (Boston Herald) All the appearances he's made since being recalled to the Sox have been on the road.

THE FUTURE IS NOW: Clay Buchholz has only been in Pawtucket a few weeks, but the Sox are debating whether to summon him to Boston to start one of the games in Friday's day-night doubleheader against the Angels. (projo.com)

DID NOT, DID NOT: The Orioles' Melvin Mora denies accusations that he was stealing the Red Sox' signs over the weekend. (Baltimore Sun) Jason Varitek, though, says it's all part of the game and that the Blue Jays and Yankees are renowned for their sign-stealing.

THE SURGE CONTINUES: Even with Chien-Ming Wang serving up another clunker and Mariano Rivera blowing a save, the Yankees still managed to pull one out against Baltimore last night. Thrill of the night for Yankee fans: The Yankee Stadium debut of Joba Chamberlain, which was an unqualified success. (All stories New York Daily News)

AIMING HIGH: Playoffs, schmayoffs. Jorge Posada wants to win the A.L. East. (New York Post)

ALL IS NOT WELL: Peter Abraham says the Yanks have to keep an eye on Mariano Rivera, who, as noted, blew the save last night and came within an eyelash of blowing a three-run lead on Sunday. (LoHud Yankees blog)

WHO SAYS HE'S LEAVING? Scott Boras tells the Journal News it's not a given that Alex Rodriguez will opt out of his Yankee contract at the end of the season, as so many seem to believe.

RACIAL OVERTONES: Time.com releases a study in which it says umpires ''tend to call more strikes when the pitcher is of their same race.'' The study adds it only happens in about 1 percent of all pitches thrown.

FORGET IT: If clubhouse reaction is any indication, Barry Bonds won't be playing in Oakland next year. (San Francisco Chronicle)

AGAINST HIS RELIGION: The Pirates' Salomon Torres has dropped his grievance against the club for what he claims was deception during 2006 contract negotiations because he's a Jehovah's Witness.

QUICKLY: SI.com's Jon Heyman reports the White Sox' Jose Contreras has cleared waivers and could be traded before the Aug. 31 deadline . . . Juan Encarnacion and Tony La Russa are feuding in St. Louis and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Bernie Miklasz, a sometimes critic of the manager, applauds La Russa for taking a tough stand with the non-hustling outfielder . . . The free-agent season is months away but the Mets already have Jorge Posada and Ivan Rodriguez on their radar screen (New York Daily News) . . . The Miami Herald says the Marlins may place Dontrelle Willis on the trading block this winter . . . The Denver Post reports David Wells doesn't interest the Rockies . . . Kenny Rogers' ailing elbow is feeling better (Detroit News).

OLD FRIENDS: Johnny Damon is now a part-time player in New York, but he says that's okay (New York Post) . . . Shea Hillenbrand has joined the Dodgers (Los Angeles Daily News).

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Comments 2