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June 7, 2007
BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
Testy exchanges at home plate
The Red Sox had a couple of arguments with plate umpire Dan Iassogna last night.
David Ortiz was the first to bark at Iassogna. He was called out on what appeared on replays to be a checked-swing on a 3-and-2 pitch with two outs and none on in the sixth. In the eighth, manager Terry Francona was ejected after, he said, gesturing from the Sox' dugout that the 1-and-0 pitch, which Iassogna called a strike, was high.
Ortiz came close to making contact with Iassogna as he spun around in surprise that he had been called out on strikes. Had he done so, he might be looking at a suspension.
''I'm just taller than he is,'' said Ortiz with a smile, adding that's why it may have looked like he was close to bumping the umpire.
''I did my complaining and it didn't matter. But at least he didn't turn his back. Sometimes (umpires) do that, like it doesn't matter what you say. He faced me to hear what I said and then that's it,'' said Ortiz.
Francona raced out to protect Ortiz, making sure it didn't escalate into an ejection of his designated hitter. He motioned as if he wanted Iassogna to check with third-base umpire Paul Emmel to see if Ortiz had gone around, but that didn't happen.
''Once he makes the call, why would he ask (the third-base umpire)?'' said Francona. ''He made (the call). (But) I don't think the plate umpire can err in asking for help.''
Francona bolted out of the Sox' dugout again in the eighth after he got thumbed for the first time this season. As he got to Iassogna, he was as steamed as he has been since taking over the team. He yanked out a wad of gum and fired it on the ground, away from Iassogna, and the duo had a heated exchange.
After seeing the replay, Francona said the pitch wasn't as bad as he thought.
''I gestured that the pitch was up. That doesn't matter. That's not the game. It's not good for my blood pressure, but it didn't affect the outcome,'' said Francona after the 3-2 loss.
Wakefield miffed
Starter Tim Wakefield wasn't a happy camper when he was lifted in the seventh with two on and two outs.
He wasn't upset that Francona was taking him out. But he was irritated that with two out and none on, Mark Ellis, who had struck out in each of his three previous at-bats, stuck his shoulder and left arm into a soft inside curveball, earning himself a base for being hit by the pitch.
Wakefield didn't think Ellis had made an attempt to get out of the way, and, indeed, had leaned into the pitch. But Iassogna wans't buying the argument.
Here and there
The Sox have grounded into seven double plays (Coco Crisp, the fastest runner on the team, has hit into three; Mike Lowell, one of the slowest, has hit into two) over the last two games, the most in a two-game span since they grounded into seven in a doubleheader against Kansas City on Aug. 12, 1986 . . . Wakefield whiffed a season-high eight . . . The loss for Wakefield was his first against Oakland since Aug. 6, 2002, at Fenway Park, a span of six starts . . .The Sox' four-game losing streak is their longest since dropping six in a row Aug. 25-30, 2006 . . . The Athletics swiped four bases against Wakefield and catcher Doug Mirabelli . . . Oakland was 1-for-25 with runners in scoring position before Jack Cust and Bobby Crosby delivered back-to-back hits in the fourth, producing the Athletics' three runs . . . Mirabelli, who was in a 3-for-35 drought, went 2 for 3, his fourth multiple-hit game of the year and first since April 23.
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 1:41 AM | Permalink
