In his last seven starts, Tim Wakefield has a 2.28 earned run average -- with 12 earned runs in 47 1/3 innings pitched. He is also 1-2 over that span, and yesterday's 3-0 loss to the Tigers marked the second time in those seven outings when Wakefield departed without having received a run of support. In two of those games, he left with his teammates having scored just one run.

Yesterday he put up another solid performance, yet it wasn't enough to stop the Tigers from posting their first win over Boston in six tries this season, and their first in eight games extending to last season.

Still, Wakefield, who fell to 6-4, said the lack of run production does not bother him.

''It's not frustrating at all. Sometimes it's going to happen. That's why it's called baseball,'' said Wakefield.

''I can only do my job, I can't control what else goes on,'' he added. ''It was one of those games when we didn't score any runs. But it's OK. I know we're going to score plenty later.''

Wakefield's 4.10 ERA is his lowest since April 18, and he was coming off one of his best outings of the season, a 2-1 triumph over Toronto Tuesday, when he gave up a run on six hits and struck out seven despite not getting a decision.

He appeared on his way to a similar outing yesterday, as he kept the Tigers without a hit until the fourth inning. That's when Dmitri Young belted a solo home run, snapping an 0-for-12 skid. The Tigers struck again with runs in the sixth and eighth.

''I'm just doing my job as a starter, I was trying to keep the team in the game as long as I could. I was fortunate to go as long as the eighth,'' said Wakefield, who got his spikes stuck in the ground and was off balance while trying to get out of the way of third baseman Bill Mueller's relay to first on A.J. Hinch's successful sacrifice bunt. Wakefield said he was not injured on the play.

Despite the loss, the knuckleballer said he's happy with his pitching so far this season.

''I'm satisfied with it and the way the team's played,'' he said. ''We're only [two games] out of first. I'm going to enjoy these three days off.''