HR #46

A SAD END TO A RECORD SEASON ...
David Ortiz helps out in spite
of potential medical problems

August 24, 2006 ... He is not only the heartbeat of the Red Sox, but the backbone, soul, and inspiration of a team desperately trying to stay alive in the American League playoff race. And on a night that a published report surfaced that he spent last Saturday night in a Boston hospital for observation because of a possible irregular heartbeat, David Ortiz once again shouldered a load that grew exponentially as the day went on, first with the news that Manny Ramirez had patellar tendinitis in his right knee, then with Josh Beckett's departure in the seventh inning with a small cut on his right middle finger, hit his 46th home run in a 2-1 Sox win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

With Mike Timlin weathering another crisis, Jonathan Papelbon recording his second four-out save in two nights, and catcher Doug Mirabelli saving a run with a performance straight out of method acting class, the Sox won before a sellout crowd in Angel Stadium of 44,109.

Ortiz acknowledged, the paper said, that he was admitted Saturday night for observation after experiencing a rapid heartbeat the night after a day-night doubleheader against the Yankees. When the problem persisted the next day, Ortiz visited Mass. General.

The significance of the home run? Besides giving the Sox a 1-0 lead in the fourth, tying Ortiz for third on the all-time Sox season home run list with Jim Rice (one more, and Ortiz ties the 47 he hit last season), and marking the 26th time that he has tied a game or given the Sox a lead, Ortiz made sure that Angels rookie Jered Weaver would not extend his remarkable run of success at Boston's expense.

Weaver, who already had tied Whitey Ford's American League record for best record (9-0) to start a season for a rookie, was denied the chance to become just one of three pitchers to begin his career with double-digit wins without suffering a defeat. The others were Kirk Rueter with Montreal in 1993-94 (10-0) and Hooks Wiltse with the New York Giants in 1904 (12-0).

The Sox, playing without Ramirez, who was relieved to learn he had not sustained structural damage in his right knee, managed just three other hits against Weaver a two-out single by Kevin Youkilis in the first, a bloop single by Mike Lowell to open the second, and Ortiz's two-out single in the sixth.

The Sox added to their lead in the seventh against reliever Brendan Donnelly on consecutive singles by Lowell, Wily Mo Pena, and Alex Cora that loaded the bases, and an infield out by Mirabelli, Cora distinguishing himself with a terrific takeout slide of shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

But Beckett, who had been brilliant through six innings after a nine-walk fiasco in his last outing against the Yankees last Saturday, was forced to depart after issuing a walk to Garret Anderson to open the seventh his first walk of the night then falling behind the next hitter, Juan Rivera, two balls and no strikes. Pitching coach Dave Wallace, who'd walked out to visit Beckett on the mound, was soon joined by Francona and assistant trainer Mike Reinold, and Francona, after taking the ball from Beckett, could be seen staring intently at Beckett's right hand.

Timlin entered, finished the walk to Rivera, then issued a wild pitch, the runners moving up. Howie Kendrick followed with a single that scored Anderson, but Rivera was erased on a strong throw by Pena, playing left in Ramirez's absence, with catcher Mirabelli faking out Rivera until the last moment.

Dustin Pedroia made his third straight start since his call-up, second at second base, as Mark Loretta continues to nurse a strained right quadriceps. There is still swelling and bruising where Loretta sustained the injury, and trainers recommended he sit out another game.