Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Bill Hall hit the go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and Josh Beckett pitched into the sixth in his first appearance in over two months as Boston edged the hot-headed Mariners, 2-1, in the continuation of a four-game series.
Beckett Sharp In Return As Red Sox Edge Feuding Mariners, 2-1
Beckett had been sidelined with a lower back strain. In his first game since May 18, the right-hander went 5 2/3 innings, yielding one run on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He threw 98 pitches, 62 for strikes.
The Red Sox blew a five-run lead in the ninth inning on Thursday, but managed to win the opener of the four-game series, 8-6, in 13 innings. Jonathan Papelbon, who was part of that ninth-inning collapse, escaped a jam in the final frame Friday for his 22nd save of the year.
The Mariners not only suffered their eighth loss in 10 games, but tempers boiled over in a skirmish in the team's dugout in the fifth inning apparently over a lackadaisical effort in the top portion of the frame by second baseman Chone Figgins.
Hall led off the seventh and homered to left field on the first pitch he saw from Jason Vargas (6-5) to give the Red Sox a 2-1 edge.
Jack Wilson doubled to right with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Ichiro Suzuki was intentionally walked, but Josh Wilson struck out swinging to end the game.
Scott Atchison (2-1) threw 1 1/3 innings to get the win.
A ground-rule double by Jose Lopez scored Suzuki in the bottom of the first, but the Mariners wasted a chance with runners at the corners in the third.
Boston tied it in the fourth when Adrian Beltre doubled in Kevin Youkilis.
In the top of the fifth, Mike Cameron doubled to left and advanced to third on a throwing error from left fielder Michael Saunders. The ball went wide of second base, but Figgins just stood and looked at the ball instead of making an effort to grab it as it rolled a few feet by him toward first base. Cameron was left stranded at third, but the activity occurred off the field after the half-inning with an altercation in the Seattle dugout.
Lopez had his jersey pulled over his head as a cluster of players came together in the dugout. Figgins and Lopez were being held back by teammates on one side of the dugout, while Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu appeared to be at the other end and also part of the argument.
“In the fifth inning I didn’t think there was much effort on that back-up,” Wakamatsu said. “One thing people have to understand, everybody in that dugout cares and tempers fly a little bit. What happens in there stays in there.”
Figgins was pulled from the game for Josh Wilson, who stroked a double in the fifth, but was left in scoring position.
“Eventually things like that are going to happen when people are frustrated,” Vargas said. “We all have to get along here for the next couple of months so hopefully we’re past it, sorted it out. We have a lot more games to play.”
Boston loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but came up empty. David Ortiz was picked off third base. J.D. Drew walked to load the bases again, but Cameron struck out.
Mariners pitcher Erik Bedard will get another opinion on his sore pitching shoulder. The left-hander underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum last August, but has not recovered as expected. Bedard will reportedly see orthopedic surgeon and shoulder specialist Dr. David Altchek next week in New York...Vargas allowed eight hits over seven innings.
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