Hinske is acquired from Blue Jays. E5
The Yankees fell to the Orioles last night, 3-2, reducing their lead over the Sox to two games. While the Sox rest today and await the arrival of Eric Hinske, a lefthanded hitter acquired last night from Toronto in a waiver deal, the Yankees close out a four-game set against the Orioles this afternoon in the Bronx.
How many games do five against the Bombers equate in normal terms?
``You mean, in dog years?" said Mike Lowell, the third baseman whose bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the seventh gave the Sox bullpen a two-run cushion.
``I have no idea. We really can't get wrapped up . . . it seems like a cliche, but you really have to take it one game at a time. Even the doubleheader [tomorrow]. Take the first, no matter what happens, go after the second one. Because if you get wrapped up in what the pile of games might mean, you're just adding a distraction to something we really have to be focused on."
David Ortiz, who went six games without a home run, hit his 42d to break a 1-all tie in the fifth and Coco Crisp hit a Wall double for two runs in the sixth after David Wells (2-2) had given the lead back on two Tiger home runs in the top of the inning, but it was Hansen who stopped the Tigers cold when the Sox needed it most.
``Maybe you haven't noticed, but he has great stuff," said catcher Doug Mirabelli, who watched from the dugout. ``You know about this kid [Jonathan] Papelbon? And if you're watching Friday night, you'll see this lefthander by the name of [Jon] Lester who has excellent stuff, too."
Summoned to shoulder the burden that Wells had precariously balanced for much of the night, Hansen came to the mound with two outs and the tying run on base in the seventh and with one pitch retired the dangerous Magglio Ordonez, who had homered an inning earlier off Wells but this time popped to second.
Hansen, who had allowed 11 hits and 10 runs (eight earned) in his previous 7 2/3 innings, gave up a single to Carlos Guillen to open the eighth, but induced the next hitter, Brandon Inge, to roll into a double play before retiring Sean Casey on a grounder to first.
