The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 36

D6 Sports The Boston Globe MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2005 in i ii hi it 1 1 tt 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ii 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Red Sox 11, Tigers 3 Ortiz shifts approach Tv V. -Afe "3. DETROIT AB 88 SO Avg. Polancott) 5 2 1 0 0 0 347 InqeS) 5 1 3 0 0 0 J72 Shetonlb 3 0 1 2 0 1 J14 Ordonez rf 4 0 1 1 0 0 J1S D.ttung 4 0 1 0 0 2 J71 Monroe 4 0 1 0 0 1 JB2 McDonald ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 295 V. Wilson 4 0 1 0 0 1 .183 Logan cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 J62 Tools 37 3 10 3 BOSTON AB Bl BB SO Avg.

Damon cf 4 12 3 11 J2S Renteriass 5 0 1 0 0 2 .289 Corapr-ss 0 1 0 0 0 0 .222 Ortiz 5 2 3 3 0 1 .295 Ramirez If 5 1 2 0 0 0 289 Varitek 4 1 1 1 1 1 J00 Millar lb 3 2 1 0 1 0 -270 Olerudlb 0 0 0 0 0 0 296 Mueller 3b 4 2 3 2 0 0 J03 Graffanim2b 3 1 1 1 1 0 311 Kapler rf 3 0 0 1 0 1 J34 Totals 36 11 14 11 4 6 Detroit 101 010 OOO- 3 10 1 Bcton 120 104 12X-11 14 2 Li 1 Win nut .4 4vJ I tmttmj David Wells had Craig Monroe picked off, but Kevin Millar's throw to Tony Graffanino is high and Monroe is safe. Mueller's outing is fun to analyze ball. "It's important that people understand how important he is to this team. He's still having quality at-bats. He is a big, important part of this team and if they want to see this team do well, I'd like to see them get behind him.

It doesn't matter who's playing, you see what happened with Bellhorn, you got him booed out of here. If he doesn't hit that home run off Jon Lieber in the playoffs and Julian Tavarez in the World Series, we might not have had what we had last year. "Getting back to Millar, if he doesn't have that great at-bat against Mariano Rivera, Dave Roberts never steals that bag." Short stop for pitcher? Rookie lefty Abe Alvarez was called up from Pawtucket and pitched a scoreless ninth after the Sox announced that lefthander Mike Remlinger had been designated for assignment, with manager Terry Francona indicating the club intended to accelerate his release to give him a chance to sign elsewhere. But Alvarez's stay is likely to be a short one. He made sense yesterday because he was well rested, not having pitched in four days, but when Remlinger clears waivers Wednesday, that will open a spot on the 40-man roster, which could create room for lefthanded reliever Matt Perisho, a nonroster pickup from the Florida Marlins who has been pitching well for the PawSox.

Remlinger, a native of Plymouth who has pitched for five division-winning teams, was a washout for 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 llllllldllillt 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1 1 Devil Rays-Red Sox series thumbnails at Fenway Park Records: Boston is 74-54 (first in the AL East); Tampa Bay is 55-76 (last in the AL East). Tonight (7:05, NESN, WEEI 850 AM): RHP Scott McClung (5-7, 6.40 ERA) vs. RHP Matt Clement (11-3, 4.35). Tomorrow (7:05, NESN, WEEI): LHP Scott Kazmir (7-9, 4.12) vs. RHP Curt Schilling (5-6, 6.89).

Wednesday (7:05, NESN, WEEI): RHP Casey Possum (8-10, 4.76) vs. RHP Tim Wakefield (13-10, 4.35). Thursday (7:05, NESN, WEEI): RHP Doug Waechter (5-8, 4.94) vs. RHP Branson Arroyo (10-9, 4.44). Head to head: The Sox lead the season series, 8-4.

Miscellany: In three appearances against Boston this season, 21-year-old Kazmir has held the Sox to five runs while striking out 15 and posting a 2.00 ERA Second baseman Jorge Cantu has emerged as the Rays' best offensive player, leading the team in average (2.98), home runs (22), and RBIs (90) The Devil Rays have scored 37 runs over the past five games, including 20 in a three-game sweep of the Angels Reliever Joe Borowski has not allowed a run since coming over from the Cubs. The righthander has allowed only seven hits in 21 innings in his latest stint in the AL. Slugger adjusts to opposition By Gordon Edes GLOBE STAFF David Ortiz enjoyed a slump-breaking afternoon with three hits yesterday, including his 33d RED SOX NOTEBOOK home run, and three RBIs, which drew him even with Manny Ramirez for the American League lead with 115. But Ortiz, who had entered the game with just six hits in his previous 38 at-bats, said his recent lack of production had less to do with his swing than with the way he is being pitched and his approach at the plate. The pitchers, they don't want to make mistakes with you," he said.

"They've been careful with the pitches they make. Yesterday, I faced a guy Fernando Rodney, he throws 96, and all he wants to do is throw me changeups. He threw me a fastball in Detroit, and I hit it for a home run. "Everybody makes adjustments. The pitchers make adjustments, I make adjustments.

At this point, all you want to do is keep helping your ball club. You even saw me bunt." With Johnny Damon on second and one out in the first, Ortiz, who last Sunday bunted safely for a hit in Anaheim, bunted foul. The Tigers' overshifted defense adjusted slightly after that, and Ortiz, who then singled through the shift, thinks it might have helped open up a hole. "It's not like I want to be 'David said Ortiz, explaining his willingness to drop the strongman persona from time to time. "It's all about winning.

As long as we produce a run, as long as I move over a runner for Manny, I'm going to try to do it. "It's not about the numbers." The Sox, whose 14-game Fenway winning streak was broken in Saturday night's 12-8 loss to the Tigers, have scored at least seven runs in each of their last 10 home games. In the last 13 games at Fenway, the Sox have hit .338 (154 for 455) and scored 114 runs, averaging 1 1 .8 hits and 8.8 runs a game. Let him up Invoking the example of Mark Bellhorn, the second baseman booed regularly before being let go by the Sox, captain Jason Varitek said he wished fans would let up on first baseman Kevin Millar, who has become the most popular target of their disaffection. "It's frustrating to see him get booed because he's such a big part of this team," said Varitek, noting that Millar yesterday singled to start a two-run rally in the second, drew a walk and scored in the team's four-run sixth, and also threw a runner out at the plate after making an error on a ground the Sox, allowing 14 runs (11 earned) on 15 hits and 5 walks in 6 innings.

At 39, and having fought through arm problems the last three years, Remlinger may be at the end of a distinguished career. "We talked to him last night," Francona said "He probably took it better than I did. He's one of the most professional people I've been around. You just happen to run into special people in this game, and he's right there. It's hard to imagine feeling that way about someone who was just here three weeks, but that's how we feel." Foulke tale Francona said the plan is for Keith Foulke, who pitched back-to-back days in Lowell over the weekend, to pitch there again tomorrow, which would put him on target for a return Thursday.

Foulke was scored upon in each of his appearances for the Single A Spinners, an unearned run Saturday and a run on a walk, stolen base, and RBI single yesterday. He threw 21 pitches yesterday, 12 for strikes, and the radar gun showed his velocity at 87 m.p.h. There is some internal debate over whether the Sox would be better served by flip-flopping Jonathan Papel-bon and Bronson Arroyo, with Papelbon taking Arroyo's spot in the rotation and Arroyo going into the bullpen, where he has proven effective. But the Sox are leery of putting a greater workload on Papelbon, who already has 130 innings this season Sox officials said last night that contrary to information on the Portland Sea Dogs' website and a release issued by the opposing team, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, prized prospect Anibal Sanchez was not injured in yesterday's game. He came out early because he was on a 60-pitch count, the officials said Rule 5 outfielder Adam Stern, out with a sprained right thumb, is expected to begin a brief rehab assignment tomorrow.

He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 20 Second baseman Tony Graffanlno has hit safely in all 1 2 of his Fenway starts, going 2 1 for 46 (.457) with 12 RBIs and 18 runs Matt Clement, who starts tonight against the Devil Rays, has just one win in seven starts since the All-Star break (1-1, 6.00 ERA, 38 and 15 BB in 36 IP). That span, of course, includes his July 26 start against Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg when he was struck in the head by a line drive hit by Carl Crawford. In his last three starts, Clement has no decisions despite a 2.25 ERA, allowing 5 earned runs on 18 hits and 4 walks while striking out 13 Legendary broadcaster Curt Gowdy, 86, was honored in pregame ceremonies Three Double A Portland players made the postseason Eastern League All-Star team: lefthanded pitcher Jon Lester, shortstop Hanley Ramirez, and second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was promoted to Pawtucket June 22.

E-Polanco (2), Millar (7). Mueller (10). toe-Detroit 8, Boston 6. 2B-lnge 2 (27). Shelton 08).

Ordonez (14), Ramirez (28). Varitek (28), Mueller (29). Graffanino (12). HR-Ortrz (33). off Spurting; Mueller (8), off Robertson.

SB-Monroe (8). Sf -Shelton, Kapler. GlOP-Vari-tek. Rumen left In (coring position-Detroit 5 (Ordonez, D. ttxing 2, Monroe, Logan); Boston 3 (Renteria, Kapler 2).

Runners moved up-Sfielton, Renteria. Df -Detroit 1 (Polanco. McDonald and Shelton). Detroit IP EH BB SO NP ERA Robertson a Oil) 5 9 8 8 3 5 97 4.16 German Vi 3 1 1 1 1 20 3.12 Spurling 1 2 2 2 0 0 19 333 Boston IP ER BB SO NP ERA Wells (W 11-6) 7 9 3 2 0 7 110 4.44 Bradford 1 1 0 0 0 0 17 2.70 Alvarez 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 0.00 Inherited ninmrs-scorad-Gerrnan 1-0, Spurling 3-0. WP-German, Wells.

Umpires-Home, Sam Ho(-brook; First Larry Vanoven Second, Randy Marsh; Third, Jim Wolf. T-2S0. HOW THE RUNS SCORED FIRST INNING TIGERS Polanco hit infield single to short Inge flied to right. On Wells's wild pitch, Polanco to second. Shelton grounded to short, sending Polanco to third.

Ordonez doubled to center, scoring Polanco. Young struck out ONE RUN, TWO HITS, ONE LEFT. RED SOX Damon walked. Renteria grounded to third, sending Damon to second. Ortiz singled to right, scoring Damon.

Ramirez flied to right. Varitek struck out ONE RUN, ONE HIT, ONE LEFT. SECOND INNING RED SOX Millar singled to center. Mueller doubled to left, sending Millar to third. Graffanino grounded to third.

Kapler hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Millar. Damon singled to center, scoring Mueller, Damon out advancing, left fielder to third baseman to second baseman. TWO RUNS, THREE HITS, NONE LEFT. THIRD INNING TIGERS Polanco safe on third baseman Mueller's throwing error. Inge doubled to right, sending Polanco to third.

Shelton hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Polanco, sending Inge to third. Ordonez grounded to short. Young struck out. ONE RUN, ONE HIT, ONE ERROR, ONE LEFT. FOURTH INNING RED SOX Varitek grounded to third.

Millar flied to center. Mueller homered (8) to center. Graffanino walked. Kapler grounded into fielder's choice, Graffanino out shortstop to second baseman. ONE RUN, ONE HIT, ONE LEFT.

FIFTH INNING TIGERS Polanco grounded to third. Inge singled to center. Shelton doubled to center, scoring Inge. Ordonez safe on first baseman Millar's error, Shelton to third, Shelton out advancing, first baseman to catcher. Young singled to center, sending Ordonez to second.

Monroe Struck out. ONE RUN, THREE HITS. ONE ERROR, TWO LEFT. SIXTH INNING RED SOX Ramirez singled to left. Varitek doubled to center, scoring Ramirez.

Millar walked. Mueller lined to second. Graffanino doubled to left, scoring Varitek, sending Millar to third. Kapler struck out. Damon singled to center, scoring Millar and Graffanino.

German relieved Robertson. On German's wild pitch, Damon to second. Renteria struck out. FOUR RUNS, FOUR HITS, ONE LEFT. SEVENTH INNING RED SOX Ortiz hit infield single to third.

Ramirez doubled to center, sending Ortiz to third. Varitek walked. Millar popped to first. Mueller singled to right, scoring Ortiz, sending Ramirez to third, Varitek to second. Spurling relieved German.

Graffanino flied to center. Kapler grounded to short. ONE RUN, THREE HITS, THREE LEFT. EIGHTH INNING RED SOX Damon grounded to short. Renteria singled to center.

Cora pinch ran for Renteria. Ortiz homered (33) to right. Ramirez safe on second baseman Polanco's error. Varitek grounded into a double play, second baseman to shortstop to first baseman. TWO RUNS, TWO HITS, ONE ERROR, NONE LEFT.

Red Sox averages li n. I GLOBE STAFF PHOTOJIM DAVIS don't forget to mention Bill Mueller. The man was coming off a knee injury (incurred while attempting to make a hustle play, of course), and there were doubts about how much the then 31-year-old infield-er had left, but Epstein handed him a three-year contract, and you'd have to say it's worked out pretty well for both parties. Happiest of all have been managers Grady Little and Francona, because Mueller is your ultimate no-worries player. You write his name in the lineup, then you can start fretting about whatever it is you've got to fret about.

You know very well you don't have to worry about Mueller, who will give you quality at-bats from both sides of the plate (bolstering the bottom third of your lineup, where, in a classic manifestation of his no-ego approach to the game, he feels most comfortable), field his position, and make intelligent decisions. There are bigger, faster, stronger, more overall gifted athletes on the team, but there are no purer professionals. And yet it seems to be a given around the ballpark that he will not be a part of the 2006 Red Sox. It's the modern baseball math. Though he is worth every penny of the $2.1 million he receives from the Red Sox, the thinking is that he is ultimately expendable because Kevin Youkilis is being projected as a cost-efficient alternative.

Here, it would seem, is one obvious side effect of the enormous Manny Ramirez contract. Manny is very good, but he's not $20 million good (no one is). But $20 million it is, and so accommodations have to be made. The manager may love Bill Mueller, the coaches may love Bill Mueller, the players may love Bill Mueller, the fans may love Bill Mueller, and even Theo may love Bill Mueller, but he may have to be sacrificed, anyway. This whole thing really throws me, because I happen to be both a Mueller fan and a paid member of the Kevin Youkilis Fan Club.

The money aside, it's hard to come up with a valid reason why Mueller shouldn't be playing third for the Sox next season. And you think Theo has an easy job? Mueller says he isn't worried about any of this. "Oh, gosh," he said (that's right, "That's the farthest thing from my mind right now. I'd hate to be thinking in that direction right now. This has been so much fun, so exciting, that I'd hate to distract myself.

You never know when you'll ever again be a part of a group like this. I'd hate to take anything away from this wonderful baseball experience for myself. I'm going to indulge in it; you know what I mean?" However long Bill Mueller keeps pulling on his Red Sox uniform, cherish the experience. For you are looking at a man you can hold up to your kids for what he does on and off the field. You are looking at a pro's pro, even on days when he isn't going 4-2-3-2 with a highlight reel defensive play.

You should indulge in it; you know what I mean? Bob Ryan is a Globe columnist. His e-mail cuhlress is ryanghbeom 1 iav. W- Sox regroup, turn back Tigers RYAN Continued from Page Dl 35 of his last 38 games. If you go back to June 1 when his average was .269, he is hitting .321. He is steadliy knocking in runs.

He may also be having his best season with the glove, with a throwing error in the third inning only his 10th error of the season. His on-base percentage (.380) is second to Alex Rodriguez among American League third basemen. You can argue that he is playing the best baseball of his three-year Red Sox tenure, including a 2003 season in which he won the batting title. Like he'd almost go there. "I wouldn't know how it compares," he said with a shrug.

"I really don't evaluate it that way. There's a lot of baseball to be played, and I'm just trying to make a positive contribution in every situation. My thought process is, 'I low can I help the team win this That is not empty rhetoric, as manager Terry Francona well knows. "We love him," said the skipper. "I don't see why we shouldn't.

I think the fans love him. I think the guys respect him, and we coaching staff do both." "He's everything you want as a teammate," said Kevin Millar. "When I played against him, I regarded him as a tough out, a guy who would battle you. And that's what he is. You need guys like him to win.

Everybody talks stats, stats, stats, and they lose perspective. You don't need big stats everywhere to have a winning team. You need guys like Bill Mueller." When you're writing your thank you letter to Young Theo for all he's done to help this franchise, SOX VS. OPPONENTS Sox Opp. Home runs (home) 64 56 Home runs (away) 89 73 Stolen bases 37 75 Left on base 996 898 Fjrors .89 88 Double plays 102 122 Triple plays 0 0 Complete games 3 1 BATTING Damon 120 Petagine 12 Graffanino Bl wRedSox 38 Mueller 117 Varitek 106 Olerud .57 Ortiz 125 Nixon AB RBI Avy.

2B 38 HR SB CS BB SO S17 98 168 63 325 31 6 8 2 14 1 1 58 25 4 8 8 .320 1 0 1 1 0 0 4 3 296 53 92 30 .311 12 2 4 9 5 2 28 42 105 24 35 12 .333 7 0 1 2 2 1 6 14 403 58 122 55 .303 29 3 8 10 0 47 53 380 61 114 62 .300 27 1 21 5 2 0 46 93 108 9 32 21 .296 6 0 3 1 0 0 7 8 481 95 142 115 .295 36 1 33 2 1 0 77 99 307 50 89 54 .290 22 0 11 1 2 0 37 41 494 81 143 52 .289 28 3 7 23 8 4 45 76 429 83 124 115 .289 27 1 33 5 1 0 66 94 381 47 103 42 .270 20 1 5 7 0 1 48 60 64 10 15 8 .234 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 9 207 19 46 18 .222 6 2 3 6 7 1 6 26 61 8 16 8 .262 1 0 2 3 11 1 8 105 12 23 14 .219 4 0 4 3 1 0 12 35 283 41 61 28 .216 20 0 7 7 3 0 49 109 15 3 2 2 .133 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 4 4478 736 1274 697 .285 280 16 152 88 37 9 516 828 121 ....118 .11 76 RAmlrez Millar Cora wRedSox, Mirabelli Bellhorn Team totals 27 39 .85 30 PITCHING bullpen blowing the game after Robertson was pulled despite throwing just 90 pitches. Robertson followed that outing with another two-hit, eight-inning outing against Oakland, but it was apparent from the first inning that things would proceed differently yesterday. Damon walked, took second on an infield out, and scored on Ortiz's single through the Papi Shift, which was modified after Ortiz tried to bunt and fouled it off. "Johnny came in after his first at-bat, I heard him walking down the dugout saying he didn't think Robertson had the same stuff as last time," Sox manager Terry Francona said. "Whether Johnny believed it or not, you liked hearing it.

I think in our ballpark, it's different. The approach here and in Detroit is different." That was Francona's polite way of saying Fenway is far less forgiving of a pitcher's mistakes than Yellowstone-sized Comerica Park. Millar, who these days is getting booed for little more than sticking his head out of the dugout, opened the second with a single, advanced to third on Mueller's double, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gabe Kapler. Mueller, whose throwing error led to a Tigers run in the third, started each of the next two innings by taking away extra bases from Craig Monroe and Placido Polanco, with near identical plays diving stops on the foul line, then scrambling to his feet and making perfect throws, "Probably as nderrated a third baseman as RED SOX Continued from Page Dl great game," said center fielder Johnny Damon, who with a walk, two singles, and three RBIs led a top-to-bottom 14-hit attack in which Bill Mueller and David Ortiz (three hits apiece) each had home runs. Mueller, who has an 11-game hitting streak, has eight home runs.

Ortiz has 33. "He didn't give back runs as rapidly as we did Saturday and that's huge for us," Damon said. "It takes a lot to score runs. Some days it seems pretty easy, but when you keep giving up runs, it takes the wind out of your sails." With the help of two terrific diving stops by third baseman Mueller, Wells held the Tigers, who had stacked their lineup with nine righthanded hitters (two switch hitters), to only two hits in 11 cracks with runners in scoring position. The Tigers had a chance to tie the score at 4 in the fifth when first baseman Kevin Millar booted Or-d6fiez's ground ball, which kicked into foul territory, but Millar quickly ran it down and threw home, where catcher Jason Varitek launched his body across the plate to tag out Chris Shelton trying to score.

The Sox then scored four in the sixth to break It open, Varitek and Tony Graffanino each doubling home a run and Damon singling home two more. The first eight Sox runs were charged to lefthander Nate Robertson, who had been brilliant In holding the Sox to two hits in eight innings in Detroit Aug. 16, his I've ever seen," Graffanino said of Mueller, who hit a bases-empty two-out home run into the Monster seats to make it 4-2 in the fourth. Wells gave back a third run in the fifth when Brandon Inge singled and Shelton doubled him home, and even after Varitek tagged out Shelton on Millar's throw to the plate, he was still in trouble when Dmitri Young singled up the middle, putting the ty-ing run at second. But Wells caught Monroe looking to end the inning, then got three quick ground-ball outs in the sixth.

After the seventh inning, "They asked if I wanted to go back out," Wells said, "and I said, "Not really' I was just drained." No problem. Wells was on the hill the last time the Sox pen went unscored upon when he gave up all six runs in a 6-5 loss to the Tigers Aug. 17 and this time he called it a day with a far happier result. The win allowed the Sox to maintain their IVi-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. They win, they have fun, and so, evidently, do the paying customers.

Yesterday's sellout made it 204 in a row, the second longest such streak in history, passing the Colorado Rockies. Only the Indians (455 straight) have had a longer streak. And with just 34 games left this season (22 at home), the finish line beckoning, and October in the wings, the fun may be just beginning. Who knows? Before it's over, maybe even the bullpen will have a few laughs. App.

ERA IP CO ER BB SO HR 1 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Timlin .65 5 2 1.93 65V4 70 0 14 18 44 1 3 Bradford 20 2 0 2.70 16H 17 0 5 2 9 1 0 Myers .52 3 1 3.30 30 25 0 11 10 17 3 0 Papelbon 5 0 1 3.32 19 21 0 7 12 19 3 0 Wakefield 26 13 10 4.35 171 169 1 83 60 111 26 0 Clement 25 11 3 4.35 153 151 1 74 50 126 14 0 Arroyo 29 10 4.44 166V4 172 0 82 39 85 17 0 Wells 24, 11 6 4.44 146 175 1 72 14 91 18 0 Miller 16 4 4 4.95 91 96 0 50 47 64 8 0 Delcarmen 0 0 5.79 6035600 Gonzalez 22 2 1 5.89 47 55 0 31 12 25 8 0 FOulke 37 5 6.23 39 46 0 27 15 29 8 15 Mantel 3 1 0 6.49 26H 23 0 19 24 22 1 0 Remlinger .42 0 3 6.69 39 44 0 29 17 34 6 0 WRedSox 7 0 0 16.50 8 13 0 11 5 4 2 0 Schilling 25 5 6 6.89 47 63 0 36 10 52 8 9 Team totals 128 74 54 4.86 1125 1231 3 607 350 766 129 28 SOX RECORDS ...40 ....34 .2 19 35 16 38 13 10 2 3 Day Night One-run Rames Two-run games Extra ...50 18 7 4 8.