Okajima allows another inherited runner to score, Red Sox fall out of first place after second straight loss at Houston

This was not what the Boston Red Sox had in mind as they enter what NESN is calling the Division Collision. The Red Sox face a three-game series starting tomorrow against the now first place Tampa Bay Rays and then a four-game set at Yankee Stadium. They prepared for the week-long test with two losses against the lowly Houston Astros.

Thanks to another atrocious outing from Hideki Okajima, and a lack of clutch hitting that saw the Red Sox strand 13 runners and leave the bases loaded twice, Boston fell to Houston, 3-2, and dropped a half-game behind Tampa Bay, which took care of interleague business by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates.

For his second start in a row, Josh Beckett pitched well only to lose the game because a lack of offensive support. Beckett, who is from the Houston area, allowed two runs and eight hits over seven innings. He departed with the game tied, 2-2, before the bullpen caused another loss.

David Aardsma, who was charged with two runs last night, surrendered a one-out single to Miguel Tejada. That is when Terry Francona summoned Hideki Okajima, who is the least dependable reliever in the Red Sox bullpen. Predictably, Okajima did what he does best - allow an inherited runner to score. He uncorked a wild pitch that sent Tejada to second. After Geoff Blum grounded out on a hard shot back to Okajima, the left-hander served up a line drive base hit to Mark Loretta, plating Tejada and giving Houston a 3-2 lead.

The Red Sox had no answer for the very hittable Jose Valverde in the ninth. The Houston closer did walk Manny Ramirez, but induced a game-ending fly out from Kevin Youkilis.

Boston is now 50-34 and starts a three-game set at Tampa Bay tomorrow night when Justin Masterson faces James Shields.

It was frustrating enough that the Red Sox left the bases loaded in the first and sixth innings, but Francona calling upon Okajima with one on and one out in the eight made no sense. Okajima had allowed 11 of 14 inherited runners to score and entered with a 10.38 ERA in June. How long are the Red Sox going to keep giving the ball to Okajima before finally realizing that he was a one-season wonder and no longer deserves a spot on the roster? What will happen when Mike Timlin is activated from the disabled list in time for the upcoming Red Sox-Yankees series? What should happen is Okajima going on the DL with a phantom injury, and Chris Smith staying in Boston. What likely will happen is Smith heading back to Pawtucket and Timlin joining Okajima as two deadbeats who cannot retire batters without coughing up runs.

Timlin, who has been ineffective all season, was placed on the DL with "knee tendinitis." You can believe that the 42-year-old reliever was actually injured. I believe that the Red Sox wanted to see if Smith could retire Major League batters, and opted to give Timlin a rest. They should do the same thing with Okajima. Invent an injury. Any injury. Just get him out of the bullpen. The Red Sox are in a pennant race. They cannot afford to let Okajima rediscover his splitter at the big league level, and he doesn't have a minor league option. It's time to put him on the DL, or consider parting ways.