[MLB]Boston Red Sox Thread

[Tealey7]

Game Review - Game 2 v Blue Jays

Last night, Josh Beckett pitched.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070905/capt.4e0a3d074a9f4427b81a76776e5c9f2e.blue_jays_re d_sox_baseball_bxf111.jpg

Originally Posted by ESPN.com

BOSTON (AP) -- Clay Buchholz isn't the only September callup helping out the Boston Red Sox in the pennant race.

Jacoby Ellsbury homered, tripled and singled on Tuesday night to help Josh Beckett become the majors' first 17-game winner and lead the Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. The victory was Boston's fourth straight, a streak that began with Buchholz's no-hitter.

"Every game [Ellsbury's] played, it's not only exciting, it's very beneficial to us winning," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

Since being recalled from Triple-A on Sept. 1, Ellsbury is 8-for-12 with a double, triple, two homers, five RBIs, five runs and two stolen bases. The two homers matches his total from 436 at-bats in Double-A and Triple-A this season.

"I'm glad he saved them up," Francona said.

The game was scoreless with one out and runners on first and third in the fourth when Coco Crisp hit a potential double-play ball to second base. The Blue Jays got the force at second, but Crisp barely beat the relay to stay out of a double play, allowing the run to score and keeping the inning alive.

On the next pitch from Roy Halladay (14-7), Ellsbury homered into the Toronto bullpen. Julio Lugo and Dustin Pedroia followed with back-to-back doubles to make it 4-0.

"A break that didn't go our way," said Halladay, who gave up five runs on nine hits and two walks, striking out seven in eight innings. "I let it bother me and I got caught up in the emotion, and I didn't make good pitches after that."

If Crisp didn't hustle down the line, Francona said, "we don't score in that inning."

"That allowed what happened to happen," he said. "Ellsbury doesn't even hit. Pedroia doesn't come up. That was really big, obviously."

Beckett (17-6) gave up a three-run homer to Matt Stairs in the fifth, but retired the last eight batters he faced before Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 33rd save. Coming off a start against the Yankees in which he allowed a career high 13 hits, Beckett gave up three runs on five hits in eight innings, striking out seven and walking two.

The Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang earned his 17th win later Tuesday night to match Beckett for the most in the majors. But New York remained seven games behind Boston in the division with a magic number of 17, meaning any combination of Red Sox wins and Yankee losses totaling 17 or more would give Boston its first AL East title since 1995.

Halladay also gave up Kevin Youkilis' solo homer in the eighth to make it 5-3. But the Blue Jays' righty still earned his major league-leading seventh complete game. He has pitched five consecutive complete games, but won just one of them.

"We saw two of the best," Toronto outfielder Vernon Wells said of the pitching matchup. "The home runs did the bulk of the damage. Great pitchers make mistakes, but find a way to work through them."

Needing just a double for the cycle, Ellsbury was left in the on-deck circle when Crisp lined out to right in the eighth.

Game notes
Frank Thomas singled in the sixth inning to extend hilalalalaing streak to 14 games, the longest by a Blue Jay this season. ... Toronto recalled RHP Josh Banks and IF Hector Luna from Triple-A Syracuse and purchased the contract of C Sal Fasano from Syracuse. The Blue Jays also transferred LHP Gustavo Chacin from the 15-day to the 60-day DL. ... RHP Brandon League was activated from the 15-day disabled list (strained oblique muscle). ... Pedroia was 0-for-11 against Halladay before singling in the first inning and doubling in the fourth. ... Ellsbury had just two homers in 436 minor league at-bats at Double-A and Triple-A this season. ... RHP Clay Buchholz was named the AL player of the week after throwing a no-hitter in just his second major league start. ... The Red Sox recalled RHP Devern Hansack from Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Mike Lowell walalalalaless to snap a 16-game hitting streak, which had been the longest in the majors.

Another great win for the Josh-ster.

Score Summary

4th: Crisp grounded into fielder's choice to 2B: Drew scored (Jays 0-1 Sox)
4th: Ellsbury HOME RUN to right: Crisp scored (Jays 0-3 Sox)
4th: Pedroia double to left: Lugo scored (Jays 0-4 Sox)
5th: Stairs HOME RUN to right: Hill and McDonald scored (Jays 3-4 Sox)
8th: Youkilis HOME RUN to centre (Jays 3-5 Sox)

Pitchers

Win - Josh Beckett (Red Sox) [17-6]
Loss - Roy Halladay (Blue Jays) [14-7]
Save - Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox) [33]

Current AL East Standings

Red Sox: 84-55
Yankees: 77-62
Blue Jays: 70-68
Orioles: 60-77
Devil Rays: 57-82

Top stuff. It would appear we're turning the heat up on the Yankees. Even though they won 12-3 last night. Tonight is Schilling's turn.

[Tealey7]

Game Review - Game 3 v Blue Jays

We appear incapable of tying up a sweep.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070906/capt.7ee51a928a314a7f91491a2c949ebc18.blue_jays_re d_sox_baseball_mack105.jpg

Originally Posted by ESPN.com

BOSTON (AP) -- The Red Sox can afford off nights like this. The Blue Jays can't have many more.

Vernon Welllalalala a two-run homer in the ninth inning after Troy Glaus' solo shot tied it in the eighth and Toronto tagged Boston's usually strong bullpen for a 6-4 victory Wednesday.

Boston's lead in the AL East dropped to a still-comfortable six games over the New York Yankees, who beat Seattle. Each team has 22 games left. Toronto trails the wild card-leading Yankees by 6½ games.

The Red Sox entered with the AL's best bullpen ERA. But in their last six games, the relievers have allowed 14 runs in 17 1/3 innings, an ERA of 7.27.

"We've pretty much been consistent all year," said Manny Delcarmen, who allowed Glaus' homer that tied the score 4-all. "This is a time when everybody has to pick each other up and we didn't do it tonight."

Curt Schilling left after six innings with a 4-3 lead following Jason Varitek's two-run homer in the sixth. Bryan Corey pitched a scoreless inning, Delcarmen gave up one run and Hideki Okajima (3-2) allowed Wells' two-run shot with one out in the ninth.

"I gave him a fat pitch and he got a home run off me," Okajima said through a translator.

The rookie left-hander has pitched 65 1/3 innings, more than in any of his past six seasons in Japan, and said he was more tired than late last year.

"I don't think you go through a whole year and never give up runs," Boston manager Terry Francona said about fatigue being a factor. "Guys aren't going to be perfect out of the bullpen. That's the way the game is."

The Blue Jays must be close to perfect the rest of the way to overtake three teams for the wild-card spot. Wells said they must win all their remaining series after losing two of three to the Red Sox. Two of those series -- seven of their next 17 games -- are against the Yankees.

"We have to play good baseball. We have them in the next couple of weeks. We have to take care of business," Wells said.

Toronto manager John Gibbons is hardly stressed out about his team's improbable quest.

"I can't worry about that," he said, smiling and shrugging his shoulders. "I'm just going to sit by the pool [Thursday]."

Toronto has the day off before a three-game series in Tampa Bay. Boston begins a four-game set Thursday night in Baltimore.

Wells broke out of an 0-for-14 slump with two singles and the homer in his last three at-bats. Bothered by a sore left shoulder that might require surgery, he has just 16 homers after hitting 32 last year.

"It was a good time to hit one," he said. "We saw the Yankees score. We can't afford to give up more ground."

The scoreboard showed New York beating Seattle. It also showed that Toronto had squandered a 3-1 lead.

Wells connected after Okajima hit leadoff batter Gregg Zaun with a pitch and John McDonald sacrificed. Glaus' 20th homer in the eighth followed Varitek's 13th in the sixth.

Jeremy Accardo (4-0) retired all five batters he faced to finish the game. He entered with one out in the eighth after reliever Casey Janssen walalalala in the right ankle with Varitek's hard grounder that went for a single. Coco Crisp fouled out on a bunt attempt before Janssen left the game.

Gibbons said he didn't think Janssen was hurt badly, but the pitcher will have X-rays.

Jacoby Ellsbury gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the first when he doubled, went to third on Mike Lowell's single and scored on J.D. Drew's grounder. Ellsbury, called up Saturday from Triple-A Pawtucket, missed hitting for the cycle by a double in Tuesday's 5-3 win over Toronto.

The Blue Jays took a 3-1 lead in the fifth on RBI singles by Matt Stairs, Alex Rios and Frank Thomas.

Ellsbury came through again in the fifth with a sacrifice fly. It was his sixth RBI in five games since being called up. He'lalalala safely in all of them.

Varitek homered after Kevin Youkilis walalalala in the right elbow by a pitch.

Game notes
Varitek surpassed his total of 12 homers last season and has three in his last 10 games. ... Stairs went 1-for-5 with a single after getting 20 extra-base hits in his previoulalalalas. ... Glaus halalalala at least 20 homers in seven seasons. ... Wells has 23 homers against Boston, tying his high against any team. He has also hit 23 against Baltimore. ... Boston left fielder Manny Ramirez missed his eighth straight game with a strained muscle in his left side. ... Youkilis struck out twice in four plate appearances and has 14 strikeouts in his last 29 at-bats.

Despite everything, I'd still rather have Okajima as a starting pitcher next season.

Score Summary

1st: Drew grounded into fielder's choice to 2B: Ellsbury scored (Jays 0-1 Sox)
5th: Stairs single to left: Zaun scored (Jays 1-1 Sox)
5th: Rios single to right: Wells scored (Jays 2-1 Sox)
5th: Thomas single to left: Stairs scored (Jays 3-1 Sox)
5th: Ellsbury hit sac. fly to centre: Varitek scored (Jays 3-2 Sox)
6th: Varitek HME RUN to right: Youkilis scored (Jays 3-4 Sox)
8th: Glaus HOME RUN to left (Jays 4-4 Sox)
9th: Wells HOME RUN to centre: Adams scored (Jays 6-4 Sox)

Pitchers

Win - Jeremy Accardo (Blue Jays) [4-3]
Loss - Hideki Okajima (Red Sox) [3-2]

Current AL East Standings

Red Sox: 84-56
Yankees: 78-62
Blue Jays: 71-68
Orioles: 60-78
Devil Rays: 58-82

Tonight the Orioles, and Wakefield.

[Tealey7]

Series Review - Sox @ Orioles

Due to cricketing commitments, I've been unable to post any game reviews about this series, so I'll do one of these short and snappy(ish) series reviews. Four games. Let's go.

Game 1

In this game, Tim Wakefield started on the mound. Unfortunately for Timmy, he was unable to get a decision, and he left the game after 3 2/3 innings. We also managed to screw up monumentally on offense, and were at one point trailing 2-4. However, Crisp and Ortiz homered, and pinch hitter Varitek got an RBI single in the 9th to bring us a win, 7-6. Clay Buchholz, now in the bullpen, earned the win to take him to 3-0 for the season, and Jonathan Papelbon earned his 34th save.

Game 2

In game 2, Baltimore showed no fight whatsoever, apart from in the 4th inning when Daniel 'The Thug' Cabrera nearly hit Dustin Pedroia with a pitch and they emptied the benches. A very easy win in the end, and Jon Lester gets another in his W column, brining his record up to 4-0, much like the score, 4-0. Job done.

Game 3

In this game we came unstuck. Dice-K, yes, him again, conceded 7 runs in the 3rd inning, and we couldn't recover, despite the best efforts of Ortiz, Lugo and Ellsbury. Dice-K picks up the loss, brining his record to 14-12 in the 5-11 loss.

Game 4

This game was last night. Josh Beckett pitched, and we came very close to losing. Mora and Markakis homered for the O's, as they took a 2-2 tie into the 8th. However, Coco Crisp stepped up to make a great RBI single for J.D Drew to score on. Jonathan Papelbon then did the rest, for his 35th save, and to give Josh Beckett a superb 18-6 record. We won this game 3-2.

So overall a very successful series in Baltimore. We now only need to win 14 games to clinch the AL East division, regardless of what the Yankees do.

Current AL East Standings

Red Sox: 87-57
Yankees: 81-62
Blue Jays: 72-70
Orioles: 61-81
Devil Rays: 60-83

And again, we will play the Devil Rays, needing to win all 3 IMO to keep the heat on the Yankees. Curt Schilling will pitch.

[Tealey7]

Game Review - Game 2 v Devil Rays

After inexplicably losing the first game 1-0, we needed a quick response. Luckily we got it. Just

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070912/capt.f0ec1d6c280444afb5ec2ab40a0191b3.devil_rays_r ed_sox_baseball_masr111.jpg

Originally Posted by ESPN.com

BOSTON (AP) -- From seven runs down to seven runs up, just like that.

Mike Lowell had four hits and Kevin Youkilis delivered a bases-loaded triple during a six-run sixth inning Tuesday night as the Boston Red Sox rallied from a seven-run deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 16-10.

"It didn't start out looking that great; 8-1 is not really the formula," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "But we made them go to the bullpen, and then we made them continue to go to the bullpen. We didn't abandon what we were trying to do, and we were rewarded for it."

Pitching against a team he has dominated throughout his career, Tim Wakefield was tagged for seven runs in three-plus innings as the Devil Rays jumped ahead. But Boston scored four in the fourth and three in the fifth before taking the lead in the sixth and making it 16-9 in the seventh on solo homers by David Ortiz and J.D. Drew.

Rookies Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia also homered for Boston.

"It was exciting to be a part of," said backup catcher Kevin Cash, who snapped an 0-for-12 slump with a two-run single in the fourth and had a career-high three RBIs. "It was a big game for us to win."

Bryan Corey (1-0) tossed a scoreless inning to earn the win in Boston's biggest comeback victory since 2000. With the season-high 16 runs, the Red Sox maintained a five-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East and made sure they'll still be in front even if they're swept by New York in their three-game series this weekend.

"Definitely," that's important, Ortiz said. "They've been playing good. They're not messing around."

Jon Switzer (0-1) got the last out of the fifth but allowed two runs and two hits in the sixth to give up the rest of the lead. Tampa Bay had won three straight and 13 of 17, including Monday night's 1-0 victory over Boston when Scott Kazmir outpitched Curt Schilling.

"Last night we barely got enough runs to win," said second baseman Brendan Harris, who homered. "Tonight was the reverse."

The Devil Rays blew a seven-run lead for the second time this season. They have also lost twice after leading 8-2.

"The Red Sox are playing for a whole bunch of stuff right now and their pro hitters rose to the occasion," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "We have to be able to come into those moments and stop them, and we didn't do it."

Carlos Pena also homered for the Devil Rays, who scored four in the second against Wakefield and then chased him with one run in, two on and nobody out in the fourth. Dioner Navarro finished with a career-best four hits, while Pena, Akinori Iwamura and Josh Wilson had three hits apiece.

Wakefield had been 19-2 against the Devil Rays, and he ran off 22 consecutive scoreless innings before lasting just 3 2/3 in his previous start, against Baltimore. The Devil Rays had not scored a run on him in 20 innings before getting four in the second.

It was Wakefield's shortest start due to ineffectiveness since 2001 (he left other games because of injury and to rest for the playoffs).

Lowell had his sixth game of four or more hits -- most in the majors. Drew, a $14 million-a-year free agent, was booed after he struck out looking to end the first inning but he followed with two singles and a homer -- his first home run at Fenway Park since April 22.

Ellsbury halalalala in all 11 games since being called up from the minors, and he now has three homers in the majors after hitting just two in 436 minor league at-bats this season.

Game notes
Harris' second-inning homer was his 11th of the season, but his third in the last six games. ... Pena's fourth-inning homer was his 39th of the season and his 13th in his last 22 games. ... Tampa Bay has not won a series in Boston since 1999 (0-18-4). ... Ortiz's 218th homer as a designated hitter tied Don Baylor for fourth on the career list. ... Devil Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine had won three straight, allowing only four earned runs in 19 innings. He gave up five runs in 3 1-3 innings against Boston. ... The Red Sox hit for the cycle as a team in the sixth inning.

It's good. But the defense needs to improve. Conceding 10 against the league's worst team is not good.

Score Summary

2nd: Harris HOME RUN to left (Rays 1-0 Sox)
2nd: Navarro single to left: Gomes scored (Rays 2-0 Sox)
2nd: Iwamura single to right: Navarro scored (Rays 3-0 Sox)
2nd: Crawford grounded into fielder's choice to 2B: Wilson scored (Rays 4-0 Sox)
3rd: Ellsbury HOME RUN to right (Rays 4-1 Sox)
4th: Iwamura double to right: Navarro scored (Rays 5-1 Sox)
4th: Pena HOME RUN to centre: Wilson and Iwamura scored (Rays 8-1 Sox)
4th: Lugo single to left: Lowell scored (Rays 8-2 Sox)
4th: Cash single to right: Drew and Crisp scored (Rays 8-4 Sox)
4th: Pedroia hit sac. fly to centre: Lugo scored (Rays 8-5 Sox)
5th: Iwamura double to right centre: Navarro scored (Rays 9-5 Sox)
5th: Crisp hit sac. fly to centre: Lowell scored (Rays 9-6 Sox)
5th: Lugo double to left: Drew scored (Rays 9-7 Sox)
5th: Cash hit sac. fly to right: Youkilis scored (Rays 9-8 Sox)
6th: Pedroia HOME RUN to left (Rays 9-9 Sox)
6th: Youkilis triple to deep centre: Ortiz, Lowell and Drew scored (Rays 9-12 Sox)
6th: Crisp double to right: Youkilis scored (Rays 9-13 Sox)
6th: Ellsbury single to left: Crisp scored (Rays 9-14 Sox)
7th: Ortiz HOME RUN to right (Rays 9-15 Sox)
7th: Drew HOME RUN to centre (Rays 9-16 Sox)
9th: Navarro single to left: Harris scored (Rays 10-16 Sox)

Pitchers

Win - Bryan Corey (Red Sox) [1-0]
Loss - Jon Switzer (Devil Rays) [0-1]

Current AL East Standings

Red Sox: 88-58
Yankees: 82-62
Blue Jays: 72-72
Orioles: 61-82
Devil Rays: 61-84

Tonight is Lester's turn.

[Tealey7]

Game Review - Game 3 v Devil Rays

Last night, it again took a comeback. And for Papi to roar into life.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070913/capt.1c45dcd3c6da4aca801818559fe81b80.devil_rays_r ed_sox_baseball_magc103.jpg

Originally Posted by ESPN.com

BOSTON (AP) -- David Ortiz was sure his fly ball would be caught. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays thought so, too.

Then, the game took a twist.

Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning that barely cleared the low right-field wall -- eluding Delmon Young -- and lifted the Boston Red Sox over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-4 Wednesday night.

Ortiz homered twice and drove in all five runs as the Red Sox held their five-game edge over New York in the AL East. The Yankees open a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday night.

Julio Lugo drew a leadoff walk from Al Reyes (2-3) in the ninth and one out later, with fans standing and hoping for Ortiz to get another big hit, he delivered.

"It was too high," Ortiz said. "That was a good pitch by him.

Young appeared to have a chance to catch it, but he ran too far toward the Pesky Pole. Reversing direction, Young twisted his body and arrived too late as the ball fell in the stands behind him.

"I think he went to the line maybe too hard," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "That ball was really high and it just floated back toward the middle of the field. I think that if he had been able to get to the right spot he probably would have been able to catch it."

Boston manager Terry Francona said he couldn't see the ball from his angle in the dugout.

"I was too busy blowing on it," he said. "I thought maybe it hit the wall."

Red Sox players poured from the dugout and surrounded Ortiz at the plate after his 10th game-winning homer with Boston and his first this year.

Jonathan Papelbon (1-2) got the win.

"That's the biggest thing, keeping the five-game lead and going into the series with the momentum," he said. "It shows that we have the makeup that teams have to go 27 outs."

The Devil Rays had wasted leads of 4-0 and 8-1 and lost 16-10 on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, B.J. Upton's 24th homer, a two-run shot, helped them to a 4-0 lead in the first.

Ortiz began Boston's comeback in the third, hitting a three-run homer after a single by Lugo and a walk to Pedroia. That gave Ortiz his 30th homer and 102 RBIs -- he has reached 30 homers and at least 100 RBIs in all five of his seasons with Boston.

Ortiz tied Jimmie Foxx for second in club history with five consecutive 30-home run seasons; Manny Ramirez has six straight.

Ortiz, battling knee and shoulder problems, is on a tear. In his last 27 games, he has 12 homers and 33 RBIs and raised his batting average from .311 to .321.

"It's that time of year," Francona said.

Lugo, in his first season with Boston, was more impressed.

"He's the greatest, man. He's the best," he said. "That's why they call him Big Papi because he can carry the team."

Boston starter Jon Lester pitched 3 2-3 innings, his second shortest outing in nine starts. But four relievers held the Devil Rays to just one hit -- a single by Josh Wilson in the eighth -- in 5 1/3 innings.

Tampa Bay won 1-0 on Monday night and wasted no time continuing itlalalalaing from Tuesday's game.

"It's a tough place to win," Maddon said. "We were in a position to win three games here and won one of them."

Carlos Pena singled for his 110th RBI in the first and Upton homered off the screen attached to the right-field foul pole, making it 3-0. Brandon Harris doubled and scored on Jonny Gomes' single for a 4-0 lead.

Lester was bailed out by Julian Tavarez after leaving with runners at first and third with two outs in the fourth. Tavarez retired Harris on a grounder and set down the next seven batters before walking Young with one out in the seventh.

Lester extended his unbeaten streak to 12 games -- he's 6-0 in that span -- but became the fourth starter in Boston's last seven games to fail to get out of the fourth.

That happened only four times in the first 140 games. And it was the first time that had happened in consecutive games. Tim Wakefield left Tuesday's game after the first three batters got hits in the fourth.

Game notes
Ortiz's game-winning homer was the first by a Boston player since Pena hit one last Sept. 4. He left for Tampa Bay as a free agent. ... Lester matched season highs by allowing four walks and eight hits. ... Tampa Bay completed a 15-game stretch against the other teams in the AL East. ... Boston LHP Hideki Okajima made his 63rd appearance, most by any AL rookie this year. ... When Coco Crisp stole his 25th base in the sixth, it gave Boston two players with that many steals since 1914 when Tris Speaker had 42 and Al Janvrin had 25. Lugo stole his 29th base in the third Wednesday.

A good win.

Score Summary

1st: Pena single to centre: Iwamura scored (Rays 1-0 Sox)
1st: Upton HOME RUN to right: Pena scored (Rays 3-0 Sox)
1st: Gomes single to centre: Harris scored (Rays 4-0 Sox)
3rd: Ortiz HOME RUN to right: Lugo and Pedroia scored (Rays 4-3 Sox)
9th: Ortiz HOME RUN to right: Lugo scored (Rays 4-5 Sox)

Pitchers

Win - Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox) [1-2]
Loss - Al Reyes (Devil Rays) [2-3]

Current AL East Standings

Red Sox: 89-58
Yankees: 83-62
Blue Jays: 72-73
Orioles: 61-83
Devil Rays: 61-85

How ashamed would the Orioles be if they were overtaken by the Devil Rays. Our next game is tomorrow night, and it's a biggie. The Yankees are in town. We hope to beat them. Obviously. The first Sox pitcher to pitch will be Dice-K.

[Tealey7]

Series Review - Sox v Yankees

Admittedly, a series review of this length does not do the last series justice. But I really can't be bothered.

Game 1: Yankees 8-7 Sox
Game 2: Yankees 1-10 Sox
Game 3: Yankees 4-3 Sox

We were unlucky not to come away with more.


Current AL East Standings

Red Sox: 90-60
Yankees: 85-64
Blue Jays: 74-75
Orioles: 64-84
Devil Rays: 63-87

Tonight: Wakefield and the Blue Jays.

[Tealey7]

Game Review - Game 2 @ Blue Jays

Same old Gagne. Always losing us games.

Originally Posted by ESPN.com

TORONTO (AP) -- Once the best closer in baseball, Red Sox reliever Eric Gagne has suddenly become shaky.

So has Boston's lead in the AL East.

Gagne allowed three eighth-inning runs, two of them on a double by Russ Adams, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 4-3 on Tuesday night.

"I don't know how to put it into words," Gagne said. "It's just very frustrating."

Boston has lost three straight and had its lead in the AL East cut to 2½ games over New York, after the Yankees' 12-0 victory over Baltimore. It's the smallest Red Sox lead since before play on April 26.

"I don't think anybody is thinking about that," second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. "We need to play better than we have been."

Gagne, who holds the major league record with 84 consecutive saves, has blown four saves since joining Boston from Texas in a July 31 trade. All four games have ended as Red Sox losses.

"We've had some weird games this past week," catcher Jason Varitek said. "Those things happen throughout a season. You don't want them to happen now but we need to focus on what we need to do to make things right."

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Gagne appeared to be overthrowing as the inning unraveled.

"It looked like he wanted to throw it through the backstop instead of remembering what makes him Gagne," Francona said. "He got a little revved up. Johnny [pitching coach John Farrell] tried to go out and slow him down and it didn't end up very well."

Boston led 2-1 in the eighth when Frank Thomas drew a two-out walk off Gagne (3-2). Thomas was replaced by pinch-runner Curtis Thigpen, and Aaron Hill singled and Matt Stairs walked before Gregg Zaun drew a five-pitch walk to tie the game.

"I felt good physically," said Gagne, who was out with a sore shoulder from Aug. 27 to Sept. 10. "I walked Thomas and after that I didn't throw strikes."

Gagne got in a brief argument with plate umpire Ed Rapuano, then gave up Adams' double that barely cleared the outstretched arm of J.D. Drew in right field. Hill and Stairs scored but Zaun was thrown out at the plate, ending the inning.

"I was just being emotional out on the mound, frustrated at myself," Gagne said.

Varitek wasn't so diplomatic.

"He made some pitches that could go either way and he didn't get any of those calls," Varitek said.

Even with closer Jonathan Papelbon warming in the bullpen, Francona chose to stick with Gagne.

"He had two quick outs," Francona said. "That's his inning to get out of."

A.J. Burnett came within one out of a complete game to win for the fourth time in eight starts since returning from the disabled list Aug. 12, after missing 37 games with a sore shoulder. He gave up three runs and nine hits, striking out 11 and walking three -- one intentional.

Burnett (9-7) started the ninth and got the first two outs before Julio Lugo homered to left. Scott Downs came on to face Jacoby Ellsbury and got him looking for his first save.

The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the first on Alex Rios' RBI double.

Thomas advanced Rios to third with a base hit, but he was thrown out at the plate on Hill's fielder's choice grounder. Stairs loaded the bases with a walk, but Jon Lester struck out Zaun to escape the jam.

Lester clamped down after his shaky first, allowing just a walk to Rios in the third, a single to Zaun in the fourth and a walk to Hector Luna in the seventh. He yielded one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings, walked four and struck out five.

"He's a maturing young pitcher, that's for sure," Francona said.

Manny Delcarmen replaced Lester and got Wells to fly out to end the seventh.

Boston tied it at 1 in the fourth on a two-out double by Varitek, then went ahead in the fifth on another two-out double, this one from David Ortiz. The hit snapped an 0-for-9 slump for Ortiz, who is 1-for-8 with six strikeouts in his past two games.

Boston is still without outfielder Manny Ramirez, who has missed the past 20 games with a strained left oblique muscle.

"It's not going away," Francona said. "He's been working hard but it's not there. The running yesterday didn't go as well as he had hoped."

Francona plans to give starters Daisuke Matsuzaka and Curt Schilling extra days off before their next starts as he tries to set his rotation for the playoffs. Matsuzaka, working on three extra days' rest, will go Saturday at Tampa Bay. Schilling will go on four extra days' rest against Oakland next Tuesday.

Game notes
Ortiz has 27 RBIs in his past 24 games. ... Toronto Raptors guard T.J. Ford and forward Jason Kapono attended the game. ... Stairs played in his 1,532nd career game, passing Terry Puhl for second-most by a Canadian-born player. Larry Walker (198 tops the list.

Ouch.

Score Summary

1st: Rios double to deep right: Wells scored (Sox 0-1 Jays)
4th: Varitek double to left: Lowell scored (Sox 1-1 Jays)
5th: Ortiz double to deep centre: Pedroia scored (Sox 2-1 Jays)
8th: Zaun walked: Thigpen scored (Sox 2-2 Jays)
8th: Adams double to deep right: Hill and Stairs scored (Sox 2-4 Jays)
9th: Lugo HOME RUN to left (Sox 3-4 Jays)

Pitchers

Win - A.J Burnett (Blue Jays) [9-7]
Loss - Eric Gagne (Red Sox) [3-2]
Save - Scott Downs (Blue Jays) [1]

Current AL East Standings

Red Sox: 90-62
Yankees: 87-64
Blue Jays: 76-75
Orioles: 64-86
Devil Rays: 63-89

Surely even we can still make the playoffs. Hopefully. Tonight, the Clayster will pitch.