Clement nets third win for BoSox
BOSTON — Jonathan Papelbon got the save after scaring the Red Sox for the second consecutive game.
The rookie closer, who gave up a go-ahead double the previous night, needed a visit from the trainer after catching his spike on the pitching rubber with one strike to go in Boston's 7-4 victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday night. But he stayed in and got Vernon Wells on a comebacker to earn his 11th save in 11 chances.
"He wanted to make sure he was OK," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "That time in the game, you don't want to leave a pitch over the plate because you're feeling it somewhere else in your body."
Matt Clement (3-2) held Toronto to two hits over six innings and Kevin Youkilis had a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who scored five in the first off Josh Towers.
Clement did not allow a runner past first base until there were two outs in the sixth, when Lyle Overbay doubled to score Troy Glaus and spoil Clement's shutout bid. The right-hander allowed only one run with four walks while striking out three.
Keith Foulke worked a scoreless seventh, then Rudy Seanez gave up Glaus' two-run homer in the eighth, the slugger's ninth of the season. Eric Hinske hit a solo homer off Julian Tavarez in the ninth to make it 7-4, then Aaron Hill singled and Papelbon came in.
He struck out Russ Adams, who doubled off him in the ninth inning of Toronto's 7-6 victory Wednesday. With two on, Papelbon got ahead of Wells 0-2, then third baseman Mike Lowell called time and Francona led the training staff to the mound.
"My back foot got stuck in the rubber. When I went to release, my leg didn't come over," Papelbon said. "It was a little scary. No one ever wants to go on the DL. I just started to walk it off, to make sure the pain didn't continue."
Towers (0-6) became the first six-game loser in the majors, allowing five runs in the first inning, settling down, then giving up Youkilis' homer in the sixth. The Blue Jays are 5-3 against the Red Sox this season, and all the losses have come in Towers' starts.
"He's about as low as he can go right now. He's got to go up," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "You feel for him. You love everything about the way the guy goes about his business. He's just in a rut. He's had no breather. I'll tell you one thing: he won't quit."
Boston had 12 hits — three by Youkilis but none by David Ortiz, hitless for the second consecutive game. Manny Ramirez was the only other batter in the Red Sox starting lineup without a hit.
Youkilis grounded out leading off the first, then six of the next seven batters reached base against Towers. The right-hander allowed just four singles over the next four innings
