Tim Wakefield Celebrates 200th Victory in Red Sox Rout

Unlike the delayed reaction to Mariano Rivera's recent milestone, Tim Wakefield and the Boston Red Sox celebrated his 200th victory with champagne and smiles Tuesday night.

The game’s eldest player finally earned the elusive 200th victory of his career as the Boston Red Sox crushed the Toronto Blue Jays 18-6 for their first win in a week. Wakefield struggled through the entire month of August, going 0-3 over seven outings since his last win on July 24, but eventually became the 108th pitcher with 200 career wins.

Eri Yoshida: Still Kicking Ass

A year ago this month, we wrote about a 17-year-old, 114-pound, Japanese knuckleballer named Eri Yoshida.

The Kobe 9 Cruiser made history last March by becoming the first female to ever play professional baseball in Japan. Pretty impressive. These days, Yoshida is still kicking ass and taking names: like fellow knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, whose delivery she studied on video as a young girl.

Tim Wakefield is Old [School]

Tim Wakefield, who will turn 43 on August 2nd, is headed to the disabled list with lower back pain. These things happen when you get old(er).

With room on their roster, the Boston Red Sox have recalled righty Clay Buchholz from the AAA Pawtucket Sox to start in Wakefield’s place tonight in the finale of their three-game series against the Texas Rangers, who just knocked the Sox out of first place in the AL East amidst a Josh Beckett complete game Tuesday.

The right-handed knuckleballer, sporting an 11-3 record with a 4.31 ERA, last pitched on July 8th against the Oakland Athletics. In that game, he surrendered three runs over six innings and got the win.

The move is retroactive to July 18th, which means Wakefield can return from the DL on his birthday. Apparently, the injury isn't serious -- according to him -- so Buchholz probably shouldn't get too comfy.

[Rotowire] | [Sports of Boston] | [Foul Territory]

Not So Bizarro Anymore

We've come to expect nothing but the best from the Tampa Bay Rays this season.

During Monday's 9-1 victory, righty Matt Garza held the Boston Red Sox scoreless through six innings, walking three and fanning five, to help put the defending champs in their first postseason deficit since returning from a 3-1 hole in last year's ALCS against the Cleveland Indians.