By Maureen Mullen
CSNNE.com
BOSTON -- After completing a very successful (6-3) road trip, the Red Sox returned to what should have been a very friendly Fenway Park. But, the Sox allowed whatever road momentum they had built up to get away, falling to the Mariners 5-4 Friday night.
Daisuke Matsuzaka, who had been brilliant in his last two outings, allowing just two combined hits over 15 innings, left after facing one batter in the fifth inning, with right elbow tightness.
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The Red Sox were leading 4-2 when Matsuzakawho had just given up a single to Ichiro Suzukileft. Matt Albers entered and gave up a single to his first batter, Chone Figgins, putting runners at first and second. A ground ball by Milton Bradley to Adrian Gonzalez appeared destined for a double play. Gonzalez threw to Jed Lowrie, covering second for one out, but Albers could not handle Lowries relay, the ball bounding into the Sox dugout, allowing Suzuki to score and Bradley to go to second.
Albers escaped with no further damage. But, Bobby Jenks, who came in for the seventh, allowed the Mariners to go ahead. He gave up a single to Suzuki and a double to Figgins to open the frame, before getting Bradley to strike out. Miguel Olivos groundball to Dustin Pedroia scored Suziki, tying the game, 4-4. Jenks then walked Justin Smoak, putting runners at the corners for Jack Cust, who entered the game hitting .177. Cust banged a Jenks fastball off the scoreboard in left-center, giving the Mariners the lead, 5-4.
Mike Cameron scored the Sox first run, with his first home run of the seasonjust past the Pesky Pole in right -- in the second inning. He followed that with his second home run, into the Monster seats in left, in the fourth.
The Sox got two runs in the third. Kevin Youkilis two-out single scored Jacoby Ellsbury, who reached on a fielders choice and went to third on Gonzalezs single. Gonzalez then scored on David Ortizs single to right.
Player of the Game: Jason Vargas
In his first career appearance at Fenway Park, Jason Vargas (1-2, 5.45 ERA) earned the win - his first of the season and his first since Aug. 14, 2010, in Cleveland. Vargas went seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits (including Mike Camerons two home runs) and two walks with four strikeouts. Vargas combined with relievers Jamey Wright and Brandon League to hold the Sox hitless after the fourth inning.
The win snapped a 13-start winless drought for Vargas, in which he was 0-9. The streak was tied for fourth-longest in Mariners history. It also snapped a four-game losing streak to American League East opponents over his last eight such starts.
Honorable Mention: Mike Cameron
Cameron went 2-for-4 with two home runs, his first two of the season. His first home run was a second-inning, two-out solo shot just past the Pesky Pole in right field, for the Sox' first run. Camerons second, into the Monster seats in left field, led off the fourth inning, for the Sox' final run of the game.
The blasts were Camerons first round-trippers since July 18 against the Rangers at Fenway. He didnt get his first home in 2010 until June 26 in San Francisco. He hit a total of four in an injury-shortened 2010 season. It was the 16th multi-homer game of his career, and first since Sept. 21, 2009, against the Cubs while with the Brewers. It was the first multi-homer game of the season for the Sox.
You dont know when youre going to hit the ball out of the ballpark, Cameron said. You just work on getting good pitches to hit, not missing balls when they come in my area, and do damage on them. The first one I kind of got lucky due to the elements in the park. The second one, I just put a good swing on it. That was it. The ball was hit pretty good.
The Goat: Bobby Jenks
Jenks entered to start the seventh inning with the Sox leading, 4-2. With just three pitches he had runners at second and third and no outs. Two batters later, the tying run scored. Two more batters and the winning run scored. Jack Cust, who entered the game hitting just .177, drove in the winning run with a double off the top of the scoreboard in left-center. Jenks took the loss, was charged with his first blown save, and is now 1-2 with an ERA of 8.64.
In 10 appearances, spanning 8 13 innings, Jenks has allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 12 hits and six walks with 10 strikeouts and two wild pitches.
I dont know what to say. I feel terrific. All my stuff is there. I dont know what to make of it, Jenks said.
I dont know where Im at now. Something is off. Ive got to fix this and fix it now. Every day Ive been right as far as physically and mentally. Ive got work to do.
Mentally Im there. Im not thinking bad things. I know itll take a lot to get the fans back, but Ill get them back.
Turning Point: Dice-K's injury
Matsuzaka was nothing short of brilliant in his previous two outings. Although he was not matching those performances, he entered the fifth inning with a two-run lead, having allowed both runs in the first inning. But after giving up a lead-off single to Suzuki, Matsuzakas night was done. He left the game with right elbow tightness. Matt Albers entered to replace Matsuzaka, giving up a single to his first batter, Figgins, putting runners at first and second. Albers got Milton Bradley to ground into what could have been a double play. But Albers, covering first, couldnt handle the relay from Jed Lowrie, the ball sailing into the Sox dugout, allowing Suzuki to score. The runs was charged to Matsuzaka. Albers went two inningsdouble each of his previous four appearancesand was not charged with any runs. Matsuzakas departure set the stage for a run that inning and Jenks appearance in the two-run seventh.
I didnt really feel... any special thing before the game started, Matsuzaka said of his elbow, through a team interpreter. But when the game started I started to feel stiffness on my elbow and I could have continued to throw. I didnt really feel that I needed to be pulled off the mound. But I left all the judgments up to Francona. So that was his decision to come off from the mound.
By the Numbers: 13
Mariners pitchers retired the final 13 Sox batters of the game, including an inning-ending double play in the fifth. Four of the outs were by strikeoutsall looking, including pinch-hitter J.D. Drew to end the game.
Quote of Note
I have an idea whats going on with my elbow right now. So Im not worried too much about it.
-Daisuke Matsuzaka, who said he will wait to see how his elbow feels on Saturday and have it further examined. He is uncertain if he will miss any starts.
Maureen Mullen is on Twitter at http:twitter.commaureenamullen