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Wakefield gem lifts Red Sox past Blue Jays

Sep 13, 2008 - 4:52 AM By Brian Devine PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Rain apparently has a positive effect on Tim Wakefield's knuckleball.

Wakefield allowed three hits through constant rain and Jed Lowrie drove in a pair of runs to help the Boston Red Sox stifle the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-0, on Friday.

Kevin Cash hit a three-run homer and David Ortiz drove in a pair for the Red Sox (86-60), who pulled to within two games of the Tampa Bay Rays (87-57) in the American League East. The Rays were rained out at New York.

Wakefield (9-10) was coming off his shortest outing since 1993 last Saturday at Texas, when he allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings. He recovered nicely against the Blue Jays, dancing his trademark knuckleball through the rain to strike out four without issuing a walk.

"I felt great, even in Texas I felt great, just couldn't find the strike zone," Wakefield said. "Too much movement and I wasn't able to get that last out in the second inning (in Texas), so obviously getting through eight today was a huge swing from last time."

He retired the last 13 batters he faced and did not allow a runner past second base.

"You either get to him or you don't. Tonight he pitched a good ball game. He kept us off the scoreboard," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said.

It marked the longest outing for Wakefield since May 28, and the first time he has thrown more than 80 pitches in his last five starts.

"He was very good. It was exactly what we needed tonight," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "He threw first pitch strikes about 50 percent, but he got back in the count and threw about 90 percent 1-1 strikes."

Lowrie was able to scratch across the first run for the Red Sox in the second, plating Jason Bay with a sacrifice fly.

Lowrie sent Bay home again in the fourth with a double off the left field wall to supply the Red Sox with a 2-0 advantage.

"I got some good pitches to hit and was able to drive in a couple of runs and we were able to get a win," Lowrie said.

The rookie shortstop has driven in 10 runs in his last 12 contests and has 22 doubles in 66 games.

"They really preach getting guys in with less than two outs and a guy on third base, and I've had the opportunity to drive in a lot of guys with (sacrifice) flies, and I have been successful in those situations," Lowrie said.

Ortiz lined a two-run double to right field that scored Lowrie and Dustin Pedroia in the seventh and Cash's blast in the eighth put the game away.

"It felt great, especially considering my last at-bat was terrible. I did not get the bunt down, didn't get the guy over, so it felt good to be able to get a big hit and save us from using (closer Jonathan Papelbon)," Cash said.

David Purcey (3-6), the 16th pick in the 2004 draft, started for Toronto and allowed four runs and six hits while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.

"He threw the ball pretty good," Gaston said. "I thought he got stronger as the ball game went on."

The Blue Jays entered the series having won 11 of their last 12 and had beaten Boston in their last three meetings at Fenway Park.