All's not well for Red Sox and Wells

Manager Terry Francona called Wells's injury a sprained foot, but that diagnosis was relayed by the manager before the pitcher's hospital visit.

Wells left the game after just 3 2/3 innings, during which he yielded six runs, all earned, on eight hits and a walk, taking the loss in the Sox' lackluster 8-4 defeat at Oriole hands before 35,003 at Fenway Park. The 69 pitches he threw were the fewest thrown by any Red Sox starter through 20 games this season, and his 3 2/3 innings also marked the shortest stint by a Sox starter this year.

Wells was hurt on Javy Lopez's leadoff single in the fourth inning. He had joked last Wednesday, after deftly fielding a bunt in Baltimore, that "the old dog can still field his position." Well, this time the old dog took a few steps toward the grounder, allowed it to pass him, then began to limp. A convoy of Sox personnel visited the mound, including Francona and trainer Jim Rowe, but Wells continued to pitch. And labor.

"He wanted a second to let it settle down and he was ready to go," Francona said.

The next batter, B.J. Surhoff, pounded an 0-and-2 fastball that was up and in and, at 88 miles per hour, asking to be crushed. The ball landed into Row 1 of the seats in right, upping Baltimore's lead to 5-2.

"I think he was battling anyway," catcher Jason Varitek said, when asked how much the pain in Well's foot -- the foot on which he lands -- affected the location of that pitch. "That didn't help."

Wells recorded a ground out, then Chris Gomez singled. Wells recorded another ground out, then Brian Roberts singled. That was enough for Francona.

"I think he was having a tough time," Francona said.

A bullpen coalition -- Blaine Neal, Matt Mantei, Alan Embree, and John Halama -- spelled Wells effectively, limiting the Orioles to two runs, one earned, in 5 1/3 innings. Neal, who hadn't pitched more than one inning in any of his appearances this year, went 2 1/3, allowing one run. Embree struck out four in 1 1/3. Mantei felt the best he's felt about himself this season in his two-thirds of an inning, though he, too, left the game and headed straight for the X-ray machine.