The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 39

The Boston Globe SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2005 They hit and miss D6 Sports Mil i 1 MnnaWfn 1 1 1 Mariners catcher Wiki Gonzalez tags out counterpart Jason Varitek after he missed home plate trying to score on a Bill Mueller single in the third inning. Miller won't be turning up the heat By Chris Snow GLOBE STAFF SEATTLE Wade Miller, who went five innings and 91 pitches in his debut Sunday, makes his second start today. What to expect? A few more pitches, a little less velocity. RED SOX NOTEBOOK Wells said, for a guy who as a kid shared a one-bedroom, 600-square foot apartment with his sister and mother. He shared the bedroom with his sister and his mother slept in the living room Yet more odd, all-to-honest responses out of Doug Mient-kiewicz in an interview for yesterday's USA Today.

Mientkiewicz, who said he's paying for rent in New York, talked about putting the World Series ball in a safe-deposit box before loaning it to the Red Sox. "I thought I was doing the right thing, keeping it in a safe place until further notice, and I get wedged between the Laci Peterson murder trial and the tsunami victims," Mientkiewicz told the newspaper. "It's not what I had in mind." Nine members of the Red Sox grounds crew packed up the clubhouse Wednesday for the West Coast trip so that the clubhouse workers could attend the wake of Bernie Logue, the clubhouse chef. Springing into form Roberto Petagine, the lefthanded first baseman signed out of the Japanese league, started last night in Pawtucket and batted third (he was 0 for 3). Petagine, who was expected to challenge for a spot as Kevin Millar's backup and a lefthanded bat off the bench, had surgery March to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee Rule 5 outfielder Adam Stern, who's been sidelined since early March with a sprained thumb, made his extended spring debut at DH.

He went 1 for 5 with three strikeouts John Olerud is expected to make his extended spring debut at DH tomorrow Curt Schilling, who continues to travel with the team, will remain in the plastic boot cast until he's without pain. That figures to be until the end of this six-game road trip that began last night The Sox announced their monthly minor league award winners for April. Portland outfielder Chris Durbin, batting third behind Hanley Ramirez and Dustin Pedroia, was the Offensive Player of the Month. Durbin hit .382 with 11 RBIs and 1 1 runs in just 14 games, missing a week with a strained hamstring. Sox reliever Cla Meredith was a hands-down choice as Pitcher of the Month.

In 1214 innings with Portland, Meredith did not allow a run, notched seven saves, allowed just four hits, and held Eastern League hitters to a 105 average. Catcher Kelly Shoppach, slowed during spring training by an injured foot, threw out eight of 1 6 would-be base stealers last month, earning the Defensive Player of the Month distinction. It should come as no surprise the Sox have a Quality Plate Appearances Award. Durbin shared that with Portland first baseman Jeremy West. West, 23, hit .347 for the month.

Pedroia, the team's top pick last June (second round, 65 th overall), was the Base Runner of the Month. "He consistently puts himself in position to take the extra base when it's there, he gets good secondary leads, he's very alert, and he makes good decisions," said Ben Cherington, the Sox director of player development. Pawtucket second baseman Alejandro Machado, obtained in a trade with Washington in February, was the Base Stealer of the Month. Machado, 23, was 5 for 5 in April and is 8 for 8 this season. He's stolen 162 stolen bases in 519 career minor league games with five organizations.

back to the mound, that's where I'm happy. Hopefully, we can get a little deeper into the game. Hopefully, we can hit the century mark with the pitch count." Manager Terry Francona said the coaching staff will monitor Miller just as they did Sunday, when he impressed with his three-hit, six-strikeout, one-walk outing. "He was pretty damn good the other day," Francona said. That was impressive.

But I've seen him enough to know that's not a fluke. That's how he pitches." Still streaking Johnny Damon had a single in the third inning and extended his hitting streak to 18 games, matching a personal best. Going into last night, Damon had hit .468 (36 for 77) with seven doubles, two triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, and 16 runs scored. The longest hitting streak in Red Sox history belongs to 88-year-old Dom DiMaggio, who hit in 34 straight games in 1949. Nomar Garciaparra had a 30-gamer in 1997 to match Tris Speaker (1912) for second in franchise history.

Damon has 12 multi-hit games during the streak: six two-hit games, five three-hit games, and one four-hit game. His previous career best spanned April 15 to May 8, 2002. The last Sox player to hit in at least 17 games straight was Todd Walker, with a 20-game streak, May 10 to June 5, 2003 David Wells is selling his place in Safety Harbor, near Clearwater, to move to San Diego full time. The home is 14,000 square feet but has just four bedrooms, which, according to Wells, is ideal because that limits the number of house-guests. The price tag: $4.2 million.

Not bad, ON BASEBALL Continuedfrom Page Dl NESN. Two things, I think, are involved," he said of the flaps between announcers and uniformed personnel. "There are more guys whd sit in the clubhouse during the game than there ever were in the past. Other relievers, DHs. There are guys who sit in the clubhouse and watch the game, and everything that is said is passed along to different players.

"Also, you'll say something, and a wife or friend will think they heard something and tell the play-eiy 'and by the time it's gotten to tHe. player, the story's been changed a little bit. That's happened a lot, where a guy has come ug to me and said, 'Did you say that about And I'll say, "No, what I said was You hope a player asks you, because if it builds up with a guy, that's bad." Early in his tenure, Orsillo said, Johnny Damon had an issue with hln. "My first two years, guys would joke about stuff that was said but you'd know you hit a soft spot," he said. "I said one day talking about Johnny Damon that he's great but if you could point to one thing he doesn't do well, you'd have to say that his arm's not that great.

Sure enough, Trot Nixon or Dauber Brian Daubach was in the clubhouse and saying, 'Johnny, he's killing your arm, saying you've got no arm, It became kind of a joke, but he didn't take it as such. A couple of times Johnny would say, 'What's up with my arm? I know I have no "Last year, I had a situation with Trot, who I've been friends with since Pawtucket. Sometimes players don't understand things you have to say. Toby Hall was in Tampa last year, we were looking at his numbers on the screen, and I said, 'He's never had a grand slam before. Amazing.

He's like a .350 hitter with the bases loaded, but he's never hit a grand slam. I said, The next pitch he hits a grand slam and beats us. Trot was in Fort Myers on a rehab assignment calling guys before they got pn the plane and saying, tell Orsillo the next time he wants to jinx us "I think it happens more to the analyst, who often played the game and his opinions come from playing the game. I won't make those kind of statements because I haven't played the game." Jerry Remy is in his 18th sea-sqn as analyst on Sox TV broadcasts. "I've never had an issue, to be honest with you," Remy said before last night's game with the Mariners.

"I'm sure there's some stuff I've said, but I've never had a problem with a player, never had a problem with ownership. it's your credibility, and you've got to say what you think, but you also have to be fair. There's a fine line you've got to walk. I don't know what that situation in Arizona was, but I guess from an announcer's point of view, if you're with a bad team, like they were last year, you get kind of bitter and sick of it. But they're playing better year, so I don't know what theissue is.

"There are ways to say things, too1. Instead of 'should 'could Nobody 'should There are no guarantees in this game. Plays could have been made, but there are no plays that should have been made. These guys are human beipgs. "If you're sitting up there beating in the brains of the people you work for, apparently they're going to get tired of that crap.

I don't think the fans want to hear that, either. But you got to be honest, especially where we work. We can't fool 'em. You got to be honest, I think if you do that, people respect you for it." Orsillo, on why his partner hasn't had an issue: "I think there's a respect, a value there because he played, he was a core guy, an old-school guy. And I think he's also careful about criticizing a guy unless it's really worth doing.

"He's fair. I don't think he's ever killed a guy. I've never heard him say, This guy is Mike Myers, who pitched for the Diamondbacks, was not surprised to hear about Brennaman. "I don't know what's going on out there right now" he said, "but I do know a lot of players feel like he has not been behind them 100 percent. "Is he unfair? He's only unfair when he doesn't go to the source and speculates on personal stuff.

That's when he gets into "I might be right around where I was at the last three innings, 91,92, 93," miles per hour, Miller said. "I don't see 95 coming out. That was purely adrenaline." Miller hit 95 once Sunday, on a third-strike looking to Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre. Miller, who could reach 94-96 before suffering fraying in his labrum last summer, said pitching with a few miles per hour less on his fastball shouldn't be a problem. "I've done it before," he said.

"You go through periods of seasons where you get that dead arm, fatigue." Miller, between starts, is working out almost like normal, except with "extra cuff work, weights, tubing, rubber bands, every which way, to strength it," he said. Miller threw fastballs, sliders, and curve-balls in his debut, using everything in his arsenal but his changeup. The changeup was his weakest pitch during his rehab starts, but he's not afraid to throw it, he said. "It wasn't that sharp my last outing in the minor leagues," he said. "I threw some before the game Sunday and there were some good ones.

But we didn't have to use it. Situation never came up." On the whole, Miller said, "I'm pleased. I'm glad to be pitching again. If I can get Sleepy Sox get knocked around by Mariners Valdez. Valdez threw home and Ramirez, who'd passed the bag, put on the brakes.

He was then caught off third. Sveum did seem to squelch a rally in the first inning when he waved in Ramirez on a Kevin Millar single that never got by the shortstop, IIIMIIIIIIIIMIMIIIIIIIIMIMMMIIIIII IIIIMIMMIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIMIIIIMIMIMIMII IMII llllll the left power alley and cleared the Seattle bullpen and the giant scoreboard behind the fence. Halama, in the next inning, allowed three more runs on a bases-loaded double by Randy Winn. Halama gave up a leadoff double, hit a batter, gave up an RBI single, then intentionally walked Suzuki, loading the bases. Winn lined a bases-clearing double to center.

RED SOX Continuedfrom Page Dl innings. Last night he walked two in the first inning. The Mariners vaulted to a 3-0 lead in their first at-bat on Suzuki's infield single and stolen base, Adrian Beltre's RBI single, a Richie Sexson's walk, a Bret Boone walk, and a two-run single by Jeremy Reed. Gonzalez gave up back-to-back Red Sox averages Not including yesterday's game BATTING games, which ties a career best. Manny Ramirez, two batters later, was hit by a pitch on his left arm.

David Ortiz followed with an RBI single. Jason Varitek was then walked intentionally with two outs to get to Edgar Renteria, an interesting decision, given that Varitek was 0 for 13 against Pineiro. Renteria, who was 0 for 8, singled, scoring Ramirez, and Bill Mueller scored Ortiz on a single to right for a 4-3 lead. Third base coach Dale Sveum waved in Varitek on the play, and the Sox catcher was nailed at home by Suzuki. Sveum couldn't be faulted, since there were two outs, but I nil ii 1 1 it i 1 1 1 it inn 1 1 1 1 1 in 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 mi Mariners averages No! Madkig tost algMI gam BATTING 6 AB RBI Avg.

2B 3B HR SI CS II SO YoukiliS 8 23 4 9 4 .391 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 6 Damon 32 141 26 54 20 .383 11 2 1 1 4 0 10 14 Varitek 27 102 19 35 15 .343 6 1 7 1 0 0 8 20 Nixon 29 87 19 26 18 .299 5 0 4 0 0 0 20 15 Ortiz 34 131 24 37 23 .282 13 0 9 1 0 0 14 25 Millar 34 120 13 30 20 .250 4 1 2 4 0 0 17 17 Mueller 28 92 15 23 9 .250 6 0 0 2 0 0 14 13 Vazquez 14 40 4 10 4 J50 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 8 Renteria 31 122 16 30 10 J46 4 1 2 6 2 0 10 17 Ramirez 33 112 21 27 29 .241 6 1 8 1 1 0 22 30 Mirabelli 11 31 5 7 6 .226 1 0 2 1 0 0 3 9 Bellhorn 30 97 13 21 7 .216 11 0 0 2 1 0 15 38 Payton 24 62 8 12 13 .194 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 7 Team totals 34 1164 189 323 180 .277 71 6 37 24 8 0 146 219 home runs leading off the third to Sexson and Raul Ibanez. Sex-son's blast, on a 1-and-0 fastball up and over the plate, was a towering shot that faded into the black backdrop beyond the 405-foot sign in dead center. His 10th of the season was followed by Ibanez's fifth, on a full-count fastball. Gonzalez exited af Trot Nixon made two fabulous catches in the inning. He record the first out on a Wilson Valdez fly down the line in shallow right.

Nixon and Mark Bellhorn nearly collided, and Nixon made the catch sliding under Bellhorn. Then, with two outs and two on, Nixon made a diving catch charging hard in right. Still Se PITCHING Myers Timlin Arroyo Mantei ADRIAN BELTRE Titanic blast ERA IP CQ ER BB SO HR Sv. 0 0 0.00 4Vi 5 0 0 1 3 0 0 1 1 1.08 164 15 0 2 5 9 0 0 4 0 2.91 46Vi 38 0 15 12 27 4 0 1 0 2.92 12Vi 9 0 4 9 12 1 0 4 0 3.06 50 52 0 17 18 38 1 0 4 1 3.18 45M 42 0 16 16 27 3 0 0 0 3.60 5 302160 0 1 0 4.22 10 0 5 3 13 0 0 0 1 4.32 161 14 0 8 4 12 4 0 1 1 4.41 161 19 0 8 3 9 1 0 2 3 4.91 291 36 0 16 3 20 4 0 1 2 7.13 171 28 0 14 3 20 3 0 2 3 7.94 17 21 0 15 7 10 6 8 0 0 33.75 1H 4 0 5 4 0 1 0 21 13 4.07 298 313 0 135 92 211 30 8 Clement 8 Wakefield 7 Miller 1 Gonzalez 2 Embree 17 Halama 12 Wells 5 Schilling 3 Foulke 16 Meredith 2 Team totals 34 Av. AS HR RBI Gonzalez 00 8 1 4 0 0 Suzuki 340 141 24 48 3 13 Winn .295 122 14 36 0 7 Ibanez .258 124 15 32 4 14 Boone J46 130 13 32 4 19 Reed .243 111 15 27 0 7 Beltre J41 137 18 33 3 19 Dobbs .238 21 1 5 0 3 Sexson J24 107 23 24 9 29 Valdez J19 96 9 21 0 6 Wilson 185 27 2 5 0 2 Bloomquist 138 29 2 4 0 3 OIKro 127 79 3 10 0 10 Spiezlo 083 12 1 1 0 0 Hansen .000 3 0 0 0 1 Totals .246 1150 141 283 23 134 mounts W-L ERA Sv.

Mateo 0-0 0.48 0 184 10 Haseoawa 04 1.08 0 16 9 Putz 1-0 159 0 llh 8 Villone 0-1 2.53 0 10Vi 11 Guardado 0-1 2.77 9 13 11 Nelson 0-1 4 00 0 9 9 Franklm 2-4 4.50 0 44 37 Mecne 2-2 514 0 42 43 Moyer 4-1 553 0 404 59 Pineiro 2-3 5.66 0 35 40 Madritsch 0-1 6J3 0 4V 4 Sele 2-4 6J1 0 351 44 Thornton 0-3 689 0 151 17 Totals 13-21 452 9 2961 302 SOX VS. OPPONENTS SOX RECORDS ter just SYs innings, having allowed seven runs on nine hits and two walks. His ERA, a respectable 4.22 coming in, swelled to 7.71. Fortunately for Gonzalez, Pineiro was already out of the game, having put up the following line: six runs, all earned, eight hits, four walks, no strikeouts, two home runs, one hit by pitch. John Halama entered for Gonzalez with two runners aboard in the top of the fourth and gave up a titanic blast to the underperform-ing Beltre.

The ball left the field in attle batted around in the fifth, scoring four times for a 12-6 lead. Through five innings, the Seattle portion of the scoreboard read: 3-0-2-4. The Sox led, 4-3, in the middle of the third. The Sox batted around in the inning, which began with Bellhorn's first home run of 2005. Bellhorn hadn't homered in 156 regular-season at-bats, dating to Sept.

15 of last season vs. Tampa Bay's Dewon Brazelton. Damon followed with a single, extending his hitting streak to 18 Sol 22 15 11 10 9 12 Away Day Opr. 9 21 20 248 20 37 0 0 Night Home runs (home) Home runs (away) Stolen bases Left on base Errors Double plays Triple plays Complete games One-run games .260 -24 30 0 0 Two-run games .7 .2 .0 .3 Extra innings.