DETROIT -- They desperately were seeking something: a spark, a galvanizing event, a turning point, anything to launch them toward the playoffs as they reached the two-thirds point of a confoundingly frustrating season.
Maybe the Red Sox received it last night from the mastery of Pedro Martinez. Or the second coming of David Ortiz. Or, crazy as it may seem, from a frustrated Kevin Millar, who called for more consistency in the lineup before he replaced a suddenly-ill Manny Ramirez.
Or maybe not. As always with this baffling crew of barnstormers, only time will tell.
Martinez provided a source of possible inspiration by helping to stop a two-game skid as he humbled the Tigers for seven innings en route to a sorely needed 7-4 victory before 42,607 at
"After a loss, it's always important to come right back and try to pick up your teammates," Martinez said. "I was very happy I was able to do that."
Ortiz, dearly missed during his five-game suspension, tried to buoy the water-treading Sox as he picked up where he left off, driving in two runs as the newly installed cleanup hitter.
Millar? His appeal for greater consistency in the lineup may have struck a chord with some teammates.
And Ramirez? His flu-like symptoms cleared the way for his pal Millar to play. Millar responded by reaching base three times and driving in a run, while Dave Roberts knocked in two runs from the bottom of the order and Kevin Youkilis drove in another. Gabe Kapler scored the final run for the Sox with a daring dash to the plate while Ortiz was caught in a rundown in the seventh inning.
But Martinez made it all possible as he scattered five hits and a pair of walks in surrendering two runs (one earned) as he improved to 12-4 with a 3.94 ERA. He also hit a batter and struck out 11 for his 69th game with at least 10 strikeouts, breaking the club record held by Roger Clemens.
"Pedro won the game for us, obviously," Kapler said. "But we did some little things great, some stuff we haven't done in a while, like driving in runners from third with less than two outs."
The victory gave the Sox a chance to finish their tumultuous road trip, the longest of the season, with a winning record as they improved to 5-5. Tim Wakefield will try today to help send the Sox home happy.
"It would be great," manager Terry Francona said. "This is one of the longest trips you'll ever see. It would be helpful to get home to where we're comfortable."
READER COMMENTS »
View reader comments » Comment on this story »