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| In the last week of the season, the Red Sox don't need to be spectacular, they need to be efficient. And Tuesday's win in the first game of a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park was a prime example. Entering the contest trailing the Yankees by a half-game in the American League East, the Red Sox put two runs on the board in the first inning thanks to their two biggest guns, and then rode the steady September pitching of Tim Wakefield to a 3-1 win over the Blue Jays. The Red Sox wasted no time in making life miserable again for Toronto starter Dave Bush (5-11). Johnny Damon opened the first with a sharp single to right before Edgar Renteria lofted a double high off the Green Monster in left to put runners at second and third with none out. David Ortiz followed with the first of his two RBIs for the game with a groundout to second, scoring Damon. Manny Ramirez singled to center, scoring Renteria to make it 2-0. Ortiz now leads Ramirez for the team RBI lead, 142-136. While he hit a batter in the first and walked one in the third, Wakefield (16-11) didn't allow a hit until Frank Menechino opened the fifth with a single to left. Ramirez misplayed it, allowing Menechino to reach second. Menechino eventually scored the unearned run on a passed ball charged to Doug Mirabelli. In throwing 108 pitches over seven innings, Wakefield allowed just three hits and the unearned run, walking one and striking out six. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless eighth, getting out of a first-and-third jam while Mike Timlin registered his 12th save in the ninth. The game was a make-up for Monday's night rainout at Fenway. |