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Lowell homers as Red Sox sweep doubleheader

May 18, 2008 - 5:33 AM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) - A long day turned into a sloppy one at Fenway Park. But in the end, it was worthwhile for the Boston Red Sox.

Mike Lowell homered drove in four runs while the Red Sox came from behind to earn a rain-soaked, 7-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, securing a sweep of the split doubleheader at Fenway Park.

The two clubs combined for a major league season-high seven errors in the second game of a doubleheader that took nearly eight hours to complete.

"We did a good job of scoring early and then they came back at us with a vengeance and we came back and scored right away, and that was good to see. It was a long day of baseball," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

The sweep brought the Red Sox into a first-place tie with Tampa Bay in the American League East while the two losses left the 20-23 Brewers tied with Cincinnati for last place in the National League Central.

In the nightcap, a makeup of Friday night's rainout, the Red Sox struck for two runs in the first against Milwaukee starter Dave Bush.

Lowell began his big night with a two-run, two-out double to left. Two innings later, Lowell drilled a two-run over "Green Monster" seats in left, giving the Red Sox a 4-0 advantage.

"I was pretty fortunate to drive in some runs and give us the lead that we gave away but we got it back. It was kind of sloppy game, but I guess those are better to win than not to," Lowell said.

The Red Sox added an unearned run in the fifth when Bill Hall bobbled a Kevin Youkilis grounder, scoring Jacoby Ellsbury.

"I'm sure I speak for other people in here we're kind of wonder what's happening," Bush said of his team's four-game slide. "I wish I had an answer for why I haven't pitched better and, as a whole, we all wish we had answers as to why we haven't won more games."

The Brewers finally got on the board in the sixth, knocking Tim Wakefield out of the game. Corey Hart began a three-run rally when he launched a long solo homer to left off the knuckleballer.

Rickie Weeks capped off the rally with a bases-loaded, two-run single off reliever David Aardsma.

Wakefield was charged with six hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings, while Bush allowed five hits and five runs - four earned. Neither starter figured in the decision.

The Brewers then took the lead by scoring three times off reliever Craig Hansen (1-2) in the seventh. Craig Counsell's two-run double down the right field line plated Gabe Kapler and Mike Rivera to put Milwaukee ahead, 6-5.

But shoddy Milwaukee defense in the bottom half of the inning allowed the Red Sox to reclaim the lead off reliever Salomon Torres (3-1).

Ellsbury reached on Weeks' error and Dustin Pedroia followed with a grounder to third that Hall fielded and threw into right field.

"Ellsbury was on first and I was trying to get rid of it quick but you still have to make a good throw," said Hall, who matched a career high with two errors in the game. "We're not playing terrible, terrible baseball we feel like we can stay close, get the job done and win the division."

David Ortiz grounded out to short, scoring Ellsbury to tie the game, and Kevin Youkilis followed with a bloop single down the right-field line to score Pedroia with the go-ahead tally.

"It was one of those games that seemed like it took forever and you just have to scratch and claw your way," Youkilis said. "We're always glad to be at home in those types of games when he have the last chance to do it but luckily we didn't have to get to that tonight."

Javier Lopez worked a scoreless eighth and Mike Timlin tossed the ninth for his first save of the season and, at 42 years, 68 days, became the oldest player in the majors to record a save since John Franco did it for the Mets on August 24, 2003 at 42 years, 341 days.

"It's not easy to do," Francona said of the sweep. "We used every pitcher that was available and we found a way to win that second game."

Ortiz homered and drove in three runs in the first game, a 5-3 Red Sox win as Daisuke Matsuzaka improved to 7-0 this season.

"Two pitches I wish we could have back today," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "One in the first game is to Ortiz and then the one to Lowell (home run). When you get back and you played two games in a long day, and you look back and wish you could have two pitches back.

"It doesn't satisfy the fact that you lost two games, but we played the world champions pretty well. We just didn't win a daggum ballgame."