Notes: Bedard keeps his cool on mound

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By Sean McAdam
CSNNE.com Red Sox InsiderFollow @sean_mcadam

MINNEAPOLIS -- Erik Bedard's second start for the Red Sox was more impressive than his first, but it didn't begin that way.

Bedard, who allowed two runs on just three hits while striking out six in five innings, had a rough first inning, walking four -- including one with the bases loaded.

"Just lack of control in the first," shrugged Bedard, who dismissed any suggestion that he was the victim of a tiny strike zone by home plate umpire Tim McClelland. "I tried to battle and limit the damage . . . It could have been (a lot) worse. You have to bear down in those situations. If you let it get it out of hand, the score could have been 6-0."

"He didn't give up a big hit there (in the first)," said catcher Jason Varitek. "He continued to throw good pitches and not give in. Tim always has a smaller strike zone and he stays with it. We just couldn't get one of those borderline ones to go our way early."

Bedard threw 37 pitches in the first -- thanks to the walks -- which limited how deep into the game he could go.

From the second through the fifth, Bedard didn't walk a single batter and allowed just two hits -- both singles.

"I kept battling -- throwing strikes and keep the ball down and keep them off them balance," he said.

Bedard will get an extra day before pitching again and predicted, now that he got up to 90 pitches, the next outing will be treated without any limitations.

"Physically, I feel fine," said Bedard, who missed a month with a knee injury before coming to the Red Sox at the trade deadline.

Monday night, David Ortiz's two-run homer helped the Red Sox stage a comeback and earn a win over the Twins.

Tuesday night, he delivered the game-winner in the seventh with a swinging bunt that traveled about 30 feet.

With the bases loaded and Phil Dumatrait on the mound, Ortiz swung and barely topped a ball to the right of the pitcher's mound.

When Dumatrait stumbled trying to field it, Ortiz reached safely and Dustin Pedroia scored what proved to be the winning run.

"I was live-stepping," cracked Ortiz of motoring down the line.

Asked what was more satisfying: a 438-foot bomb or an infield chopper, Ortiz said: "It all depends on the situation. To win a game, I'll take both of them. I'm glad it was a (hit)."

It took a few days, but the RBI which David Ortiz lost due to an official scorer's call last week was given to him Tuesday, thanks to a ruling by Major League Baseball.

Official scorer Chaz Scoggins of the Lowell Sun ruled last Wednesday that Ortiz wouldn't be awarded a second RBI because of an error made by Cleveland outfielder Austin Kearns.

MLB has a committee to review controversial calls upon appeal and Tuesday, it ruled in Ortiz's favor.

Ortiz had complained bitterly over the scoring change, and burst into a Terry Francona pre-game press conference the following day to complain.

An ESPNDeportes story over the weekend, meanwhile, suggested Ortiz was upset that the Red Sox had not approached him about a contract extension.

"We love David around here," said Dustin Pedroia. "He's been so great for so long for this organization. He's got so many big hits. I can't imagine him playing for somebody else."

"We love David, we want David here. Everyone wants David here. He wants to be here. So, the business side of baseball, it works itself out. The kind of year he's having definitely puts pressure on the organization to sign him back.

Even seven hits in his previous two games couldn't keep Marco Scutaro in the Red Sox lineup Monday night. Francona gave him the night off, with Jed Lowrie getting the start at short.

"He's scuffled against (Twins starter Francisco Liriano) a little bit," said Francona of Scutaro, noting the batter's 1-for-9 history. "I want to give guys a break. I wanted to play Lowrie (against Liriano), then we'll give Jed a day (off Wednesday).

"We're just trying to look ahead and make sure it fits. I think you have a responsibility to do the right thing for your team. I think it's common sense."

Reliever Bobby Jenks was released from a Boston hospital Monday. The Red Sox hope that Jenks feels well enough to go to Fenway Wednesday and began some throwing.

Outfielder J.D. Drew took some swings off some flips from hitting coach Dave Magadan both Monday and Tuesday. He'll hit in the cage either Wednesday or Friday in Seattle. Drew has been on the DL for the past three weeks with an impingement of his left shoulder.

Somewhat unnoticed Monday night was the fact that closer Jonathan Papelbon became the first to record at least 25 saves in each of his six full seasons.

Papelbon has successfully converted his last 20 save opportunities, dating back to May 13.

Sean McAdam can be reached at smcadam@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sean on Twitter at http:twitter.comsean_mcadam.

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