Posted at 11:40 a.m., Sunday, September 23, 2007
Baseball: Delmon Young homers TB past Boston, 5-4
Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Struggling knuckleballer Tim Wakefield gave up a two-run homer to Delmon Young, and the Boston Red Sox lost 5-4 to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays today.
The Red Sox, who clinched at least the wild-card spot Saturday, started play with a 2½-game lead over second-place New York in the AL East.
Wakefield (16-12) entered 9-0 at Tropicana Field and 19-2 overall against the Devil Rays, but he gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings.
In his past four starts, the right-hander has allowed 21 runs over 17 2-3 innings. The four outings have come after he missed a start with a sore back.
Young put the Devil Rays up 2-0 with his homer in the second. The rookie right fielder, who had been 1-for-14 against Wakefield, has 13 homers and 93 RBIs this season.
Tampa Bay, last in the AL East with a 64-92 record, snapped a five-game skid. Al Reyes pitched a perfect ninth for his 25th save in 29 opportunities.
Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez missed his 24th consecutive game with a strained left oblique. Boston manager Terry Francona is not sure when Ramirez will return.
"I don't know," Francona said. "He said he had a better day yesterday, which is good. I'd rather hear him say that than say it's getting worst. He seems real upbeat, but he's not ready to play. Just keep plugging away."
Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis sat out for the seventh straight game due to a bruised right wrist. He could return during a regular season-ending six-game homestand that starts Tuesday.
Jonny Gomes' fourth-inning RBI single and a run-scoring single by Jorge Velandia in the fifth extended the Devil Rays lead to 4-0.
Edwin Jackson (5-15) had a one-hitter through five, but failed to get out of the sixth when Boston scored three times to pull to 4-3. David Ortiz and Coco Crisp had RBI singles, and another run scored when J.D. Drew walked with the bases loaded.
Jon Switzer replaced Jackson with the bases loaded and one out, and induced a double-play grounder from Eric Hinske.
Jackson gave up three runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings. He was 0-3 with a 9.15 ERA over his previous four starts.
Tampa Bay went up 5-3 in the sixth on Josh Wilson's sacrifice bunt. Alex Cora got Boston to 5-4 with a solo homer off Dan Wheeler in the eighth.<
Notes:@ Tampa Bay All-Star LF Carl Crawford (strained left groin) missed his sixth consecutive game. He might also sit out a three-game series against the New York Yankees that begins Tuesday. ... Boston LF Jacoby Ellsbury singled in the third and has a hit in 19 of 20 games since being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on Sept. 1. ... Red Sox C Doug Mirabelli made his first start since straining his left hamstring on Sept. 6.
