Red Sox bullets: September 15, 2011

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By Maureen Mullen
CSNNE.comFollow @maureenamullen

Combined, 40 players appeared in the game, 17 for the Rays, and 23 for the Sox.

Jacoby Ellsbury went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, ending his hitting streak at 18 games since Aug. 26.

Marco Scutaro went 2-for-3 and is not batting .444 (20-for-45) with 16 RBI in 13 games in September.

David Ortiz went 2-for-2 after missing two games because of back spasms. In 19 games since Aug. 24 he is batting .408 (29-for-71) with seven doubles, five home runs, 13 RBI, and 10 walks.

Jose Iglesias ninth-inning single with two outs was the first hit of his big league career.

Joey Gathright walked and scored a run in his first major league plate appearance since Oct. 4, 2009.

Franklin Morales picked Ben Zobrist off first base in the sixth inning, It was Morales second pick off in as many games, and was the Sox 15th of the season, matching their total from 2010.

Evan Longorias third-inning three-run homer was the 14th of his career off the Sox, the second-most of his career against any team, trailing only the 15 he has hit against Baltimore.

Francona said third baseman Kevin Youkilis, who was been ailing with bursitis in his hip and a sports hernia, will not play Friday. Jed Lowrie will not be available either.

Since Aug. 1 Matt Albers has appeared in 17 games, spanning 17 innings, giving up 23 earned runs on 27 hits and 12 walks with 18 strikeouts, six home runs, and four hit batters, with an ERA of 12.18. He has allowed seven of 11 inherited runners to score, a 64 percent rate. In that time his overall ERA has gone from 2.09 to 4.95.

David Ortizs third-inning intentional walk was his 12th of the season, behind only Adrian Gonzalezs 15 on the team.

Erik Bedard was expected to play catch today, though not all-out, Francona said. There is still no timetable for his return to the rotation.

Asked for his playoff rotation, Francona wasted little time answering: PLAYOFFS??!!

Triple-A Pawtucket hitting coach Chili Davis has also joined the Sox coaching staff. He is expected to be here through Mondays doubleheader.

Maureen Mullen is on Twitter at http:twitter.commaureenamullen.

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