Sports

Bay watch: Big day for openers

By Bill Burt
Staff writer
Published: August 2, 2008

BOSTON — Jason Bay for governor.

OK, maybe that's a little strong, but the newest Red Sox starting left fielder got off on the right foot his first day on the job as Manny Ramirez's replacement.

The 2004 National League Rookie of the Year belted a two-out triple in the bottom of the 12th inning, and later scored the winning run on an infield hit by Jed Lowrie to give the Sox a 2-1 victory.

In fact, Bay scored both Red Sox runs, as he scored on a Lowrie sacrifice fly in the second inning. He had walked with one out and went to third on a J.D. Drew double.

"Eight hours ago I just met these guys," said the 29-year-old Bay, who was the center of the post-game celebration after he scored. "Now I feel like I've known them for a few weeks."

Bay got the royal treatment from the moment he stepped on the field.

He got a thunderous standing ovation his first plate appearance in a Red Sox uniform in the second inning.

Bay acknowledged the ovation by tipping his helmet before attempting to step into the batter's box. But the cheering got louder and he stepped out again.

"I didn't know what to do. That had never happened to me before," said Bay.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said the Fenway Faithful continue to amaze him.

"The way the fans welcomed him, you only see that here," said Francona of the ovation. "That's pretty special."

Bay eventually walked on five pitches without swinging his bat. He later went to third on a double by J.D. Drew and scored on a sacrifice fly to deep left center, putting the Red Sox ahead, 1-0.

Bay finished the night uneventfully, going 1 for 3 with two strikeouts, but he got on base four times, including two walks (his 60th and 61st of 2008) and a hit batsman.

Bay chipped in on defense, too. In the top of the fifth inning, he made a beautiful sliding catch near the left field line for the third out, garnering another ovation as he ran to the Sox dugout.

"That's Jason. He's a gamer," said Sox backup first baseman Sean Casey, who was intentionally walked in the 10th inning. "He's a grinder. He gets on base four times. He makes the great, sliding catch. He plays the game totally right."

Bay was told by several players, including Casey, of what to expect from the fans.

He admits it was better than he ever could have imagined.

"You have to be here and experience it," said Bay. "It is an amazing atmosphere ... It felt like playing in an All-Star game."

It's obviously early, only one game, but Bay has experienced the best of what Boston has to offer. Of course, it was after a win.

He realizes the pressure to succeed will pick up with each game. He can only guess how he'll react to it.

"You're guess is as good as mine," said Bay. "It's what I've been doing my entire life, playing baseball."

Casey: Bay made for Boston

Over his 11-year career, spanning five teams — Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit and now Boston — Sean Casey says he has played with only a handful players who could be successful in Boston.

Jason Bay, his teammate for four months in 2006 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, is one of them.

"Boston is going to love this guy," said Casey, who called Bay a few hours after he was traded to the Red Sox. "He's got a lot of talent. He's got power. He hits for average. But what impresses me most is his toughness. He wants to be the guy up when the game is on the line."

Casey played with Bay in 2005, the second of his two All-Star seasons (.286, 35 HR, 109 RBI) with the Pirates.

Bay fits into the Red Sox mold of patience at the plate. He was 12th in the National League with 59 walks before the trade, adding two more walks to his total last night.

Protecting Ortiz

Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell was the designated fourth hitter in the Red Sox lineup, the spot reserved for Manny Ramirez for most of the last six seasons.

While it is expected that newly acquired Jason Bay will eventually take cleanup spot behind David Ortiz, Lowell will man the spot for the time being.

Day 1 as Ortiz's "protection" was not as he had hoped. Lowell, who strained his hip running out an infield single, finished 1 for 5, twice leaving two men on base.

"We were going to run for him anyway," said Francona. "(His hip's) been sore for a pretty good amount of time."

Not Okie-dokie

Red Sox manager Terry Francona's attempt to get Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima his confidence back took went up in flames last night.

Okajima, who entered the game at the top of the eighth inning with the Red Sox ahead, 1-0, gave up a two-out solo home run to Oakland's Jack Cust.

Okajima had pitched a near-perfect July, allowing only two hits over 72/3 innings or relief. That came after a disastrous June in which he allowed 10 runs over 91/3 innings.

Two million customers served

Red Sox fans, believe it or not, are coming to home games more often than they have before.

Last night's paid attendance of 37,832 bumped the season total up to 2,032,637. In only the 54th home game to boot. That's the quickest the Red Sox have gotten past 2 million. The previous best was the 56th home game in each of the last two seasons.