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Boston's Wakefield goes for win No. 200 vs. Tribe

Aug 3, 2011 - 2:40 PM

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(Sports Network) - Tim Wakefield takes another crack at win No. 200 this evening when the Boston Red Sox resume a four-game series with the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.

Wakefield, who turned 45 on Tuesday, failed in his first attempt at the milestone on Friday, but pitched well against Chicago, as he allowed three runs and three hits in seven innings. He is 6-4 on the year with a 5.06 ERA.

Once Wakefield gets his next victory he will become the oldest player to reach 200 wins. Charlie Hough is currently the oldest to do so at 44 years and 213 days while with the Chicago White Sox in 1992, the same year Wakefield recorded his first career win for Pittsburgh.

"I'm excited about it," Wakefield said of his next potential win. "I don't like to talk about my personal numbers. I'm excited about my next start to try to help us win and get to the postseason."

Wakefield may not have to wait much longer for his next win, as he is 3-0 with a 2.51 ERA against the Tribe since September 2008. He has faced the Indians 30 times (23 starts) over the course of his 19-year career and is 12-8 against them with a 4.05 ERA.

Boston managed to stay atop the American League East on Tuesday, as Jacoby Ellsbury singled in the game-winning run in the ninth inning to send the Red Sox to a 3-2 win.

Boston wasted Dustin Pedroia's leadoff single in the eighth, but got consecutive one-out base hits in the ninth by Jason Varitek and Josh Reddick and cashed in on the chance when Ellsbury lined one to center off Vinnie Pestano (1-1).

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, pinch-running for Varitek, slid in head first in front of Ezequiel Carrera's off-line throw to help the hosts rebound from Monday's 9-6 loss in the opener of this four-game series.

"Those are exciting," said Ellsbury. "To end the game like that with a 'W' on one swing of the bat."

Boston's Josh Beckett lasted six innings and yielded a pair of solo home runs to Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall. The right-hander allowed six hits, did not issue a walk and struck out seven.

Jonathan Papelbon (3-0) earned the win.

"[Beckett] was just getting his pitches across and pounding the zone, and working both sides of the plate. It's tough to adjust to that," Chisenhall said.

The Indians have now lost five of their last seven.

Cleveland hopes things go a little smoother for Carlos Carrasco this evening. The young right-hander lost his fifth straight start and was ejected from his in the fourth inning on Friday in Kansas City after throwing over the head of Billy Butler. Carrasco had allowed seven runs and seven hits with three walks in just 3 1/3 innings.

Carrasco has since been suspended six games but is appealing. He could drop the appeal following his start tonight.

"I think we're probably leaning toward him dropping the appeal after he pitches, and serving it, and just adjusting the rotation after the day off [on Monday]," Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. "But that's in Carrasco's hands."

Cleveland has won five of its eight matchups with the Red Sox this season.






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