Red Sox win nailbiter to complete three-game sweep in Seattle

At least for this season, the Seattle Mariners will not be confused with the Los Angeles Angels, or any contender. Still, Boston's three-game sweep at Safeco Field was a respectable feat, especially for a Red Sox team that entered the series with a five-game road losing streak and a 21-32 record away from Fenway Park.

The Red Sox completed the sweep in Seattle with a nailbiting 6-3 victory in 12 innings yesterday afternoon.

Though he wasn't as effective as Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka, who both delivered quality starts in the first two games of the series, Clay Buchholz pitched well enough to remain in the rotation, and most importantly put the Red Sox in position to win yesterday afternoon. Over 5.1 innings, the rookie right-hander allowed three runs and seven hits - including a solo home run by Raul Ibanez in the fourth and a two-run shot from Jose Vidro in the sixth - to accompany seven strikeouts and two walks.

The two highlights of yesterday's win were the bullpen and Mike Lowell.

After Buchholz departed with two on and one out in the sixth, Justin Masterson was summoned for his Major League debut as a reliever. He responded by striking out Kenji Johjima and Bryan Lahair to squash the rally, and added two scoreless frames. In 2.2 innings, Masterson struck out three and did not allow a hit or a walk.

In the ninth, with the score tied at 3-3, Hideki Okajima entered and retired the first two batters before walking Miguel Cairo. Terry Francona called upon Manny Delcarmen to face Willie Bloomquist, who grounded out to end the inning.

Delcarmen retired the side in order in the 10th, and it was Jonathan Papelbon who created the bullpen-induced drama the Red Sox have been accustomed to this year. In the 11th, Papelbon was unable to cleanly field a spinning, soft grounder down the first base line, allowing Vidro to reach on a leadoff single. After striking out Adrian Beltre, Papelbon served up a line drive base hit to Yuniesky Betancourt, placing the winning run on third base. Moments later, Johjima bounced into a 5-4-3 double play.

At the plate, Boston once again stranded a double-digit number of baserunners. A two-run single by Kevin Youkilis in the third and a bases loaded walk to Coco Crisp in the sixth was all the Red Sox could muster off Seattle starter Felix Hernandez. The Red Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth before Jed Lowrie and Jason Varitek struck out. If not for a bout of wildness from Hernandez, chances are Boston would not have scored that inning.

Overall, the Red Sox stranded 11 runners yesterday, but they finally got a clutch hit in the 12th inning against Sean Green. Jacoby Ellsbury, who has struggled since May, started the rally with a leadoff single. He advanced to second on Dustin Pedroia's ground out. Green intentionally walked J.D. Drew, and then Kevin Youkilis hit a deep drive that Bloomquist appeared to track down in center field, but the ball glanced off his glove to load the bases. Lowell followed with a two-run single to give Boston a 5-3 lead. Sean Casey added an RBI singleoff Cesar Jimenez to give the Red Sox an insurance run.

With Boston's bullpen, even a three-run lead against the Mariners is not comfortable, as was proven again yesterday. In the bottom of the 12, Craig Hansen retired Miguel Cairo on a ground out, but he was unable to cleanly field Bloomquist's high bouncer, allowing Bloomquist to reach on an infield single. That's when the tension mounted. Jose Lopez followed with a base hit and Ibanez walked. Hansen fell behind Vidro 3-0 before throwing a strike and then inducing a game-ending ground out.

Hansen was credited with his second save, but once again he showed that he lacks the poise to be a reliable Major League reliever. If Hansen becomes unnerved in a key situation against Seattle, do you honestly believe he can be counted upon in the heat of a pennant race against teams like the Yankees, Rays, White Sox and Angels? I don't. Hansen has All-Star caliber ability, but he clearly doesn't have the focus that a Major League reliever needs.

Regardless of the tension generated by Hansen's frightening 12th inning performance, the Red Sox ended their road trip with a 3-3 record and returned to Boston at 60-43, a half-game back of Tampa Bay and three games ahead of the third place Yankees. This weekend's Red Sox-Yankees three-game set will be more relevant than the four-game series around the Fourth of July. When the last Red Sox-Yankees series started on July 3, the Red Sox were three games out and the Yankees were eight games behind. When the four-game set was over, Boston trailed the Rays by five games and the Yankees found themselves nine games out.

While the Red Sox and Yankees tangle this weekend, Tampa Bay travels to Kansas City for a four-game set that begins today. The Sox could return to first place, but most importantly they need to win at least two games against the Yankees to cool down their heated rivals.

Notes and observations

• Jed Lowrie has a five-game hitting streak and has given the Red Sox defensive stability at the shortstop position since Julio Lugo was placed on the disabled list with a quadriceps injury. Though Lowrie does not have tremendous range, he has an accurate arm and a reliable glove, which is what Lugo lacks. True, Lowrie is a mostly untested rookie, but he is a better option than Lugo or Alex Cora. The more I see of Lowrie, the more I hope to makes the team next season as the starting shortstop, or a utility guy who can play second, shortstop and third.
• While we're on the subject of Boston Red Sox shortstops, did you see the CBS Sportsline report that the Red Sox and White Sox are discussing a trade that would send Cora to Chicago for Juan Uribe? It is difficult to determine if this rumor is credible. After all, the non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, and we will be hearing a multitude of rumors in the next week. This report is surprising. Cora is a popular player in the Red Sox clubhouse, and he is an adequate backup shortstop. Uribe rarely walks, has a low on-base percentage and OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) and does not hit for average. He does have a strong glove and can play second, shortstop and third. Uribe makes $4.5 million and is signed through 2009. The Red Sox already have Lugo, who receives $9 million a season and is signed through 2010. Acquiring Uribe makes no sense. I truly hope this is indeed just a rumor.
• Manny Ramirez gets a tongue-lashing from a Seattle police officer about jaywalking and then he shows up yesterday with a "sore knee." Never a shortage of news in Boston with Manny in a Red Sox uniform. Regarding the jaywalking situation, apparently the Seattle police department and Seattle residents are adamant about only crossing the street along designated crosswalks. All I know is that - if I was stopped by the police every time I jaywalked or exceeded the speed limit - I would be a career criminal. Regarding the so-called sore knee, I don't think that his knee is aching. I believe he wanted a day off from Felix Hernandez, and two days off before he returns to left field for the remainder of the season (since David Ortiz is back as the DH).
• Media reports indicate that Theo Epstein sniffed around about Washington reliever Jon Rauch, but found the smell pungent when the Nationals mentioned Michael Bowden and Jed Lowrie in return. One suggestion to Major League general managers. If Jim Bowden calls, don't answer. The former Cincinnati Reds general manager and current Nationals GM is known for his ridiculous trade demands and proposals.
• Apparently, Colorado GM Dan O'Dowd is mimicking Bowden. The Denver Post reported that the Rockies would gladly ship Brian Fuentes to Boston for Clay Buchholz. Thanks, but no, thanks. True, Buchholz has been up and down this season, but he is a future top of the rotation starter. Epstein is wise to keep Buchholz, Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden, just as he was smart to not deal Jon Lester last off-season.