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Wakefield leads Red Sox past Rockies

Jun 13, 2007 - 4:05 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox continue to dominate National League teams at Fenway Park.

J.D. Drew's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning made a winner out of starter Tim Wakefield and lifted the Red Sox to a 2-1 win in interleague play on Tuesday.

Wakefield (6-7) allowed one run, four hits and one walk while striking out three in eight innings for the Red Sox, who improved to 18-2 in interleague play at Fenway since May 22, 2005.

"I was just trying to get our offense back in the dugout as soon as possible," Wakefield said. "I had a pretty good feel for the knuckleball tonight and I was able to accomplish that. I'm just thankful that our offense came through in the bottom of the eighth to get a win and to be able to hand the ball over to (Jonathan Papelbon) there in the ninth is pretty special."

Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save of the season.

"I knew (Wakefield) had good stuff, it is a little easier to say that after the eighth inning, but he came out and he was good right up to the end," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "On a night like tonight I don't care how many times you have faced him, he was very good."

After the Rockies tied the game in the top of the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Yorvit Torrealba, the Red Sox regained the lead in the bottom of the frame.

Rookie Dustin Pedroia led off with a single and was pinch run for by Alex Cora. Colorado starter Aaron Cook (4-3) got Kevin Youkilis to fly to center before lefthander Jeremy Affeldt was brought in to face David Ortiz.

The Boston slugger lined a double to right on the third pitch from Affeldt and moved Cora to third base. Ortiz missed a home run by inches as the drive to right-center hit the top of the low outfield wall in right field.

After an intentional walk to Manny Ramirez loaded the bases, Drew hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Cora with the go-ahead run.

"I was fortunate to get in a 3-1 count with a pitch out over the plate," Drew said. "Ultimately, I was looking to hit a line drive somewhere and hit it hard and lined out to center and you get a sacrifice fly there, that's pretty nice."

Cook pitched will despite the loss, allowing two runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out four in 7 1/3 innings.

"It is always hard when somebody goes out and gives that kind of effort and he gets the loss," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "He pitched extremely good baseball tonight, he had 12 ground-ball outs, gets the leadoff hitter out six of the eight innings."

The Rockies managed just a hit and a walk off Wakefield before Torrealba collected the team's first extra-base hit with a one-out double in the sixth.

"Cook was throwing a great game, we had one run on the board and can't make a mistake at that point in the game so concentration really hones in," Wakefield said. "I've always said it's easier to pitch with a lead, it's harder to pitch with a one-run lead versus a couple-run lead because you can't make a mistake."

Colorado finally broke through in the eighth against Wakefield, who had gone 1-4 with a 7.98 ERA in his last five starts.

Brad Hawpe led off the inning with a double to right field and advanced to third on a fly out by Ryan Spilborghs. It appeared Wakefield might escape the jam after getting rookie Troy Tulowitzki to fly out to shallow right, but Torrealba singled up the middle on an 0-1 pitch to tie the game.

The Red Sox opened the scoring in the third inning on a two-out RBI double by Youkilis. Julio Lugo doubled down the left field line with one out and, after Pedroia grounded out, Lugo stole third base with Youkilis at the plate.

Youkilis worked the count full before lining his 18th double of the season to right field.

Boston catcher Doug Mirabelli said the designated hitter rule is part of the reason for team's success in interleague play at home.

"In the AL you have a guy who specifically is the DH and normally he is a huge player in the lineup like Ortiz and then you take a guy from the NL who sometimes is a role player or maybe a good pinch hitter so there is definitely an advantage for the AL in that situation," he said.

Colorado's Willy Taveras had his 15-game hitting streak come to an end.