BOSTONIt wasnt the dream debut some had hoped it would be for Erik Bedard, but there were some encouraging moments in defeat.
Former Sox sinker specialist Justin Masterson out-pitched Bedard and the Boston bullpen in the former Mariners first appearance with the Sox, and that played out in a 7-3 loss to the Tribe at Fenway Park.
Masterson fanned nine Sox hitters in his six innings of work, and scattered five hits while improving his record to 9-7 in a breakout season in the starting rotation for Cleveland.
But the newly acquired Bedard showed flashes in five innings of work, and finished with seven strikeouts in his evening of mound work. Bostons new southpaw actually exited a 3-3 tie after five innings of solid work, but Sox lefty Franklin Morales got hit hard by the Indians hitters in the decisive sixth inning.
Travis Hafner started things off with a double against Morales, and things simply deteriorated from there.
The big blow was a two-run homer by Cleveland catcher Carlos Santana that proved to be the difference in the game, and was a far cry from the brilliant relief work authored by Morales and Co. earlier in the series. The Indians bullpen managed to shut down the Sox offense the rest of the way and avoid any ninth inning heroics this time around.