« Youkilis Scratched -- Back Spasms
Main
Photos of Dice-K at Lehigh Valley »
June 16, 2008
By STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
PHILADELPHIA -- Hideki Okajima has been struggling lately, making things problematic for manager Terry Francona as to when to being him in.
It's difficult to trust a guy who has allowed 11 of 14 inherited runners to score to come in with runners on base. And in a late-inning setup role, with Manny Delcarmen pitching so well, it's also difficult to stick with him at the first sign of trouble even if he starts an inning.
Last night, though, Francona found a relatively stress-free opportunity to give the left-hander some work. And Okajima, who had been scored upon in his last two outings -- 4 runs in only 2/3 of an inning -- worked a spotless inning last night.
Okajima fanned two, including Ryan Howard, who already had homered twice and tripled.
It may not have been much, considering the Sox were trailing, 8-2, but it sure couldn't have hurt Okajima's confidence.
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 10:31 PM | Permalink
