Arroyo Pounded As Red Sox Fall To Blue Jays

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The New York Sun

BOSTON – Bronson Arroyo hurt Boston’s playoff chances – and his hopes of being in the postseason rotation if the Red Sox get that far.


Arroyo gave up three homers and all seven runs as the Red Sox lost to Toronto 7-2 last night and dropped one game behind the Yankees in the AL East with four games remaining.


Frank Catalanotto doubled, tripled, and homered for the Blue Jays, who won their second straight over the Red Sox.


Boston (92-66) remained tied in the wild-card race with Cleveland Indians, who lost to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 1-0. The Red Sox play Toronto today, then welcome the Yankees for the weekend series.


Vernon Wells and Eric Hinske also homered, and former Yankee Ted Lilly (10-11) allowed two runs, six hits, and five walks in 6 2/3 innings to improve to 3-0 against the Red Sox this season.


Boston was just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and has been shut out for 9 2/3 innings by Toronto relievers.


Arroyo (14-10) hadn’t allowed a homer while winning four consecutive decisions with a 3.71 ERA in September, and had been 7-0 in the month for his career. But he gave up three homers – a season high – in the first three innings.


With the Red Sox likely to use four starters in the playoffs, Arroyo could move to the bullpen in favor of Tim Wakefield, Curt Schilling, David Wells, and Matt Clement. However, he could get a start if the Red Sox end the regular season in a tie that requires a one game playoff Monday.


Edgar Renteria homered for Boston, and David Ortiz had his major league leading 144th RBI. But Ortiz squandered another chance in the seventh when he tried to bunt to the vacant left side of the shifted infield and instead hit into a force-out.


Boston loaded the bases in the third, but Kevin Millar hit an inning-ending popout to right. With runners on first and second in the fifth, Jason Varitek hit a liner to right-center that Reed Johnson caught with a dive, saving at least one run. Millar followed with another inning-ending popup to right.


***


DEVIL RAYS 1, INDIANS O Tampa Bay’s Seth McClung pitched eight shutout innings as the Devil Rays beat Cleveland 1-0 last night, dropping the Indians three games behind the first place White Sox with four to play. Chicago beat the Detroit Tigers 8-2.


McClung allowed just four hits and only two runners to reach second base while outpitching Cliff Lee and handing the Indians their third straight setback – the club’s first three-game slide since being swept by the Devil Rays on August 12-14.


The second-place Indians, who trailed the White Sox by 15 games on Aug. 1, host Chicago for three games to end the regular season.


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