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August 5, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
SEATTLE – It had been so long since the Red Sox last won a game at Safeco Field – nine losses and counting, dating back to July 21, 2006 – that they must have had a sense that when a win came, it would not, ultimately, come easy.
And make no mistake – this one wasn’t secured until the final pitch of the final inning, with the potential game-tying run on second and the potential winning run on first.
''It was nice to go out and shake hands (signifying a win),'' agreed Terry Francona after the Sox had held off the Seattle Mariners, 4-3, Saturday night. ''It’s been a long time. Wins have been hard here. It’s been very difficult here.’’
Jonathan Papelbon struck out the first two batters of the ninth and seemed poised to finish the game with a flourish, with two strikes on Jose Guillen, one strike away from his fifth strikeout of the night.
Instead, Guillen worked a walk and pinch-runner Adam Jones stole second before Papelbon issued a second walk – this one to Raul Ibanez.
But Papelbon then got Adrian Beltre to foul out behind the plate and the Sox long regional nightmare was over.
Eric Gagne had retired the first two hitters in the eighth before enduring a similarly rocky inning in his second Red Sox appearance. Three consecutive hits – a single by Ben Broussard, a single to Kenji Johjima and a double to Jose Lopez – had brought the Mariners to within a run.
But Gagne got Yuniesky Betancourt on a comebacker, turning the lead over to Papelbon, who notched his 25th save.
Francona said he never considered lifting Gagne for Papelbon in the eighth, despite the potential go-ahead run in scoring position.
''We’re going to have to settle in as guys get comfortable,'' he said. ''We need to let Eric settle in.''
The win went to Daisuke Matsuzaka, who became the club’s third 13-game winner with the victory. Matsuzaka allowed two runs – both on solo homers – but otherwise pitched himself out of numerous jams while striking out 10, tying his high for the season.
''Right from the first pitch,'' said Francona of his starter, ''his fastball had good zip on it and he was able to command all his pitches.''
In the third, the Mariners had runners at first and second with no outs and didn’t score; in the fourth, they had runners at second and third with one out and failed to get a run; and in the sixth, they put the first two runners on base and were held scoreless.
''Being able to pitch well and (strand) runners on base – that’s my true style of pitching,'' said Matsuzaka.
After the Mariners grabbed a 1-0 lead on Adrian Beltre’s homer in the second, the Sox took the lead for good in the fourth when Jason Varitek drove a double to left, scoring both David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. The double was Varitek’s first extra-base hit in the last 14 games, dating back a homer against Toronto’s Dustin McGowan on July 14.
The Sox padded the lead in the sixth. Kevin Youkilis doubled and when Guillen tried to showcase his arm to keep Youkilis at third on a single to right from Ortiz, the ball sailed into the stands, enabling Youkilis to score with Ortiz taking second on the throw and third on the error.
A run-scoring double from Ramirez delivered Ortiz and gave the Sox’ left fielder 25 RBI since the All-Star break.
A solo homer from Betancourt – his second in as many nights – was the last run against Matsuzaka.
Posted by Sean McAdam 
at 2:16 AM | Permalink
Peter | August 5, 2007 1:02 PM link
I am concerned about the depth and quality of the bullpen as we head down the stretch and into the playoffs.
I do not see M. Timlin as having enough on his pitches to be dominant in key situations which I beleive, leaves the Red Sox vulnerable. It is getting to the 8th & 9th inning that seems to be the concern.
Peter