Red Sox complete sweep of Mariners, 6-3
Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:50 AM PDT
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| Elaine Thompson | Associated Press
Boston Red Sox’s Mike Lowell hits a two-run single against the Seattle Mariners in the 12th inning of a baseball game Wednesday in Seattle. The Red Sox won 6-3. |
SEATTLE (AP) — Can’t win on the road. Top sluggers are out. Soaring Yankees are next.
Come visit Seattle, everyone’s cure-all.
Mike Lowell hit a two-run single off Sean Green in the 12th inning, and the Red Sox took advantage of two outfield errors to beat the sunken Mariners 6-3 on Wednesday and complete Boston’s first series sweep at Seattle in 15 years.
The Red Sox entered the series having lost eight of 11 on the road, leaving manager Terry Francona to say he was perplexed. They flew home for the latest showdown with New York after their first three-game sweep on the road this season.
Even without David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, who rested Wednesday with a sore knee, Boston stayed a half-game behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
‘‘Since I’ve been with the Red Sox, we don’t play well in Seattle. So this was a big series for us,’’ Lowell said.
Asked if he thinks the Red Sox have successfully weathered their road woes and the loss of Ortiz, due back Friday after being out since injuring his wrist May 30, Lowell said: ‘‘I think we’ve done that ... but you’ve got to do that. No one else is going to feel sorry for you.’’
Save the pity for the Mariners.
Raul Ibanez and Jose Vidro hit home runs in the fifth consecutive loss for the AL’s worst team.
Seattle expected to be in the postseason but dropped a season-low 25 games under .500, and is in clearance-sale mode for the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline. Ibanez and Vidro are top candidates to go.
‘‘No matter how many times you get hit between the eyes, you have to get back up and get after it,’’ said Ibanez.
‘‘That wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take it,’’ Francona said.
Buchholz allowed seven hits and three runs in 5 1-3 innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. He hasn’t won since May 2.
Hernandez allowed six hits and two earned runs in six innings. He struck out six in his third start since returning from being on the disabled list for a sprained left ankle.
Notes: Boston’s last sweep at Seattle was July 2-4, 1993.
Hernandez has allowed three earned runs or less in eight consecutive starts. His ERA is 2.95, on pace to finish with the third-lowest in Mariners’ history, and lowest since Randy Johnson’s team-record 2.30 in 1997.
