Manager Terry Francona started the day by announcing that Jon Lester, cancer survivor, once again will be Jon Lester, big league pitcher, when he takes Tavarez's place tonight in Cleveland. Curt Schilling walked through the clubhouse, the old swagger back after a terrific rehab outing the night before, with a smile doubled in wattage because of Lester's return. "I feel great," Schilling said, referring to his own status, then said of Lester, "It's such an incredibly good story about a good person."
Tavarez bitter? He was too busy welcoming back Lester. "I asked him how he was doing," Tavarez said. "He had a big smile on his face, which means he's doing good. I hope he pitches a great game."
Francona flip-flopped Manny Ramírez and Kevin Youkilis in the batting order, one day after hitting Manny in the 3-hole pretty much because Manny felt like it, and Ramírez hit a three-run home run. "Great managing there," Francona dryly noted of his deployment of Ramírez, who hit .385 on the homestand with four home runs, knocking in 13.
Tim Wakefield, who pitched in a game for the 500th time in his career and at this rate may be good for 500 more, won his 11th game, limiting the White Sox to a run through the first six innings before he was charged with three in the seventh. "I've been blessed to be able to wear this uniform for as long as I have, and to be able to get in that many games," said Wakefield, who now has pitched 20 times this season and gotten the decision in all 20 (11-9).
A blessing is what Francona called Hideki Okajima, who struck out A.J. Pierzynski with the bases loaded to end the seventh after an uncharacteristic stumble by Manny Delcarmen in relief of Wakefield.
"I think he is the key to their ball club," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of Okajima.
