Sox hit pay dirt, complete sweep

If first baseman John Olerud has learned anything during his month-long stint in Boston, it's that Red Sox hitters are capable of overcoming the bullpen's woes.
"You've got guys all through the lineup that can hit you," Olerud said after the Red Sox rallied for a 5-4 win against the Indians in the ninth inning in front of 29,915 at Jacobs Field. "You know you can score four or five runs really quickly."

Olerud has been lucky to get four or five at-bats every few days with the Sox. But he made the most of his start at first base Wednesday night, going 3-for-4 with a home run (his first with Boston) and two RBIs.

That homer, which Olerud hit in the seventh, was the catalyst for the Red Sox eighth- and ninth-inning rallies.

"When you're not in there on a regular basis, your timing can be off," Olerud said. "I just tried to have some quality at-bats against a guy like [Indians left-hander Cliff] Lee.

After Olerud homered, reliever Alan Embree struggled through his half of the seventh against the Tribe. The southpaw allowed a couple of singles to Alex Cora and Coco Crisp. Relievers Mike Myers and Mike Timlin couldn't undo the damage as the inherited runners scored to make it a 4-2 Cleveland advantage.

The Sox fought back in the eighth, when Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar started a one-out rally with singles. Johnny Damon, who did not start Wednesday night in order to rest his strained rotator cuff, pinch-ran for Millar before Olerud came to the plate again.

And Olerud delivered. This time, he delivered against reliever Arthur Rhodes. Olerud swung and shot a single to left field to score Ramirez, move Damon to third and give the Sox a fighting chance at a comeback.

"I've seen him take that swing too many times -- from the other dugout," manager Terry Francona said. "It's a gift. He's got it refined. That bat doesn't slow down."

Neither did the Red Sox rally. Bill Mueller singled to score Damon and tie the game, 4-4.

"We've been in a stretch where we've been getting some big hits," Olerud said.

Timlin and Keith Foulke held the Indians scoreless in the eighth inning, and were credited with giving the Sox a chance to take the lead in the ninth.

Jay Payton helped the Sox take the lead, as he lined a double off Tribe closer Bob Wickman to lead off the ninth.

"It wasn't the best pitch to hit in the world, but I got on top of it," Payton said.

While Payton's hit was helpful, his baserunning was the key to that play. He noticed that Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore didn't field the ball cleanly, so he kept running to third.

"I went into second and when I saw the bobble, I took off," Payton said. "I thought I could make it."

Fortunately for the Sox, he landed on third. Edgar Renteria, the next batter, plated Payton with an RBI double for a 5-4 Red Sox lead.

"He threw a slider and I got lucky," Renteria said.

After Foulke pitched 1-2-3 ninth, the Sox sweep of the Tribe was complete. No more close calls. No more ninth-inning comebacks. No more worries in Cleveland this year.

"Let's get the heck out of here and let them beat on somebody else," Francona said.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/