July 23. SEATTLE. WA --The Red Sox concluded their 6-game road trip, sweeping the lowly Seattle Mariners in 12 innings 6-3.
Mike Lowell hit a two-run single off Sean Green in the 12th inning, and the Red Sox took advantage of two outfield errors to beat the sunken Mariners 6-3 on Wednesday and complete Boston's first series sweep at Seattle in 15 years. The Red Sox entered the series having lost eight of 11 on the road, leaving manager Terry Francona to say he was perplexed. They flew home for the latest showdown with New York after their first three-game sweep on the road this season.
Even without their heavy artillery, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, who rested Wednesday with a sore knee, Boston stayed a half-game behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
"Since I've been with the Red Sox, we don't play well in Seattle. So this was a big series for us," Lowell said.
Raul Ibanez and Jose Vidro hit home runs in the fifth consecutive loss for the AL's worst team. Seattle expected to be in the postseason but dropped a season-low 25 games under .500, and is in clearance-sale mode for the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline. Ibanez and Vidro are top candidates to go.
Jacoby Ellsbury began the 12th with his fourth hit in 34 at-bats, a single off Green (2-3). A hit-and-run groundout by Dustin Pedroia got Ellsbury to second before Green intentionally walked J.D. Drew. Kevin Youkilis then hit a liner that center fielder Willie Bloomquist sprinted deep for but had clang off the inside of his glove. The error loaded the bases, and Lowell unloaded them with his second hit of the game. Sean Casey, the designated hitter for Ramirez, singled home Youkilis to make it 6-3. Jonathan Papelbon (4-3), pitching a third consecutive day, created a jam in the 11th by flubbing a pickup of Vidro's leadoff squibber down the first-base line for a generously scored infield single. Craig Hansen allowed Seattle to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 12th but retired Vidro on a ground out for his second save in four chances.
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