Timlin to rescue in save situation

July 03, 2006|Gordon Edes, Globe Staff

MIAMI -- The bases were clogged with Marlins, just as they had been for most of a gray afternoon, when pinch hitter Mike Jacobs lofted a two-out popup about halfway down the first-base line. Sweet relief?

From the safety of the winning clubhouse, that was an easy assumption to make. But there was a moment, Red Sox setup man Mike Timlin said after yesterday's 4-3 win, when he had his doubts. Especially when he glanced toward first base and saw that David Ortiz, the accidental first baseman, hadn't exactly reacted with the crack of the bat, and catcher Jason Varitek had remained at the plate.

Timlin also was operating with prior knowledge: Earlier in the game, Ortiz dropped a popup in front of the Marlins' dugout for an error, not exactly an inducement for Timlin to relax as this play unfolded in the seventh inning of a tie game.

``When the ball went up," Timlin said, ``I knew Ortiz was playing back. I kind of glanced over there and he wasn't really moving extremely fast. I knew it wasn't real high, and 'Tek wasn't moving. When 'Tek didn't really come after it, and it wasn't really very far from the plate, I just went and called it."

That's when second baseman Mark Loretta, whose sacrifice fly the next inning would score Alex Cora with the go-ahead run, noticed Ortiz gaining speed and braced for the worst, according to Timlin.

``I talked to Loretta afterward and he said, `I was afraid you were going to get run over,' " Timlin said. ``I said, `Dude, I weigh 240. I'm only giving away about 20 pounds.' "

There would be no collision, and no error, either, Timlin making the catch while staying out of harm's way. Ortiz, however, can kiss the Gold Glove goodbye, according to Cora.

``He's done," said Cora, who scored the winning run after reaching on an error and taking third on Gabe Kapler's hit-and-run single. ``The only DH I know who won a Gold Glove was [Rafael] Palmeiro.

``Now David's made an error," Cora added. ``No chance."

For now, Ortiz can put away his glove, as interleague play is over for the summer. Never have the Sox been so sorry to see their National League brethren depart: The Sox, who have now won two straight after the Marlins broke their 12-game winning streak, finished 16-2 against NL (ahem) competition, tying the season record for most wins accumulated in 10 years of league-swapping.

Yesterday, with Jonathan Papelbon setting a club record for saves by a rookie (25) on the same day his peers voted him to the All-Star team, the Sox won the rubber game of their set with the Marlins despite being outhit, 9-5, making more errors than the hosts, 2-1, and stranding only two base runners to 13 for the Floridians.