Timlin lets it get away

Wells's effort wasted as Mariners rally late

August 27, 2006|Globe Staff

SEATTLE -- Where have you gone, Mike Timlin?

Over the last 22 games, the 40-year-old righthanded setup man has set up disasters. He has allowed 18 earned runs in his last 21 1/3 innings, five home runs in his last 14 games, obvious signs that the wear and tear of the past few years has finally caught up with him.

Asked to protect a 3-2 Red Sox lead in the bottom of the eighth inning last night in relief of David Wells, Timlin surrendered a leadoff home run to Adrian Beltre and then the eventual winning sacrifice fly to Ben Broussard after back-to-back singles to Raul Ibanez and Richie Sexson, forging another distressful evening for the Sox in a 4-3 loss at Safeco Field before 44,779.

Timlin, while not pleased with the results, was pleased with the way he threw the ball and his pitch selection.

``It was a good pitch," said Timlin of his offering to Beltre. ``It was 3-4 inches outside. I felt it was where I wanted to go or at least where it ended up I thought it was safe. I guess he was looking out there.

``I threw the ball exceptionally well. I can look at myself in the mirror and know I did exactly what I wanted and I got beat."

The Sox, meanwhile, now stand 5 1/2 games back in both the American League East (Yankees) and wild-card (Twins) standings.

The two starters -- Gil Meche and Wells -- were a wash. They each lasted seven innings, each allowed a pair of runs, and each handed their fates to their bullpens.

Wells had pitched his heart out but Yuniesky Betancourt's solo homer on a hanging curve with one out in the seventh tied the game at 2. Wells got out of the inning after allowing back-to-back singles by T.J. Bohn and Ichiro Suzuki before inducing a 4-6-3 double play.

The Sox regained the lead in the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Mike Lowell off flamethrowing righthander J.J. Putz, scoring David Ortiz, who had doubled off lefthander George Sherrill. But Timlin ended any afterglow of Wells's stint in a hurry when he surrendered his sixth homer of the season.

To backtrack, the Sox may have been victims of a bad call by third base umpire Ron Kulpa in the top of the eighth. On Lowell's go-ahead hit, Manny Ramírez, who was walked intentionally before Lowell, ran to third and the throw from left fielder Ibanez was caught by third baseman Beltre, who tagged an upright Ramírez around the helmet. The ball bounced out of Beltre's glove, but Kulpa still ruled Ramírez out, feeling Beltre had held the ball long enough.

The call was argued by third base coach DeMarlo Hale and manager Terry Francona, but to no avail. play.

``[Kulpa] said [Beltre] tagged Manny while he was moving away, but that he had control of the ball," said Francona. ``I didn't agree. I was more concerned with David [Ortiz] scoring at the time."