TORONTO - Terry Francona felt he had to find out last night whether he could trust Eric Gagné in October. How much that costs him in September remains to be seen.
For the first time in almost a month, Francona called upon Gagné to protect a lead. The only difference in the result was that Gagné didn't have to walk home through a gantlet of insults as he did the August night he blew a ninth-inning lead against the Angels in Fenway Park.
After he got two quick outs in the eighth inning last night against the Blue Jays, Gagné's radar suddenly went haywire. He walked three batters, forcing home the tying run, then gave up a two-run double to pinch hitter Russ Adams that pinned a 4-3 loss on the Red Sox, their fourth in five games.
"There were a lot of reasons to keep him out there and pitch and have success," said Francona, explaining why he took the long view and stayed with Gagné even as the wheels came off, and even though he had Jonathan Papelbon warming up. "If it doesn't work, it hurts. It hurts all of us. I think it's the right thing to do. That doesn't make it easier."
Moments later, the manager reflected on the same theme.
"That's why we stay with him," said Francona. "We believe, even when other people don't or it's hard to believe. I think that's part of why we are successful. It certainly doesn't feel like it tonight."
That explanation almost certainly will not satisfy the legions of fans who watched the lead over the Yankees shrink to 2 1/2 games in the AL East with 10 to play (the Yanks have 11). Those fans probably weren't mollified by the news of the Tigers' loss in Cleveland, which means the Sox' magic number to clinch a postseason berth is down to 4. Any combination of Sox wins and Tiger losses totaling four, and the Sox are assured of a spot in the October tournament.
That's not the same as winning the division, of course, and now Boston's hold on the best record in the league is down to just a half-game over the Indians and the Angels. Prestige and home-field advantage are teetering in the balance, but Francona maintained that he had to know whether Gagné would prove reliable - not wildly successful, as he was with the Dodgers before he got hurt, but someone who can get the tough outs when needed.
So far, the answer has been as loud and clear as Gagné's voice was soft and pained after last night's defeat. Gagné has pitched 15 times for the Sox since coming from Texas in a trading-deadline deal. He has given up 14 earned runs in 14 innings, an ERA of 9.00. He has a win, two losses, and three blown saves. He was supposed to be the stabilizer. Instead, he has fostered more doubt than anyone on the roster, including J.D. Drew, over whose head Adams's tie-breaking double flew.
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