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CHICAGO -- When the Boston Red Sox failed to acquire one Canadian pitcher they turned to another. cheap jerseys . After a deal with Oakland for Victorias Rich Harden fell through, the AL East-leading Red Sox were still able to find a starting pitcher to bolster their rotation Sunday. They got oft-injured lefty Erik Bedard of Ottawa from the Seattle Mariners in a three-team trade before the deadline. Bedards stint with the Mariners has been problematic but his years in Baltimore were strong ones. And thats the pitcher the Red Sox hope they will eventually see. "All starting pitchers in the big leagues have nicks and knacks on them," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said Sunday in a conference call. "Eriks case, he has injuries in his past like most starting pitchers, but the first half he was throwing the ball well and he certainly looks to be on his way back to form." The Red Sox, whose deal for Harden fell apart late Saturday night, also got right-hander Josh Fields, a 2008 first-round draft pick. Boston first sent minor league right-handers Stephen Fife and Juan Rodriguez and catcher Tim Federowicz to the Dodgers in exchange for outfielder Trayvon Robinson and then traded Robinson to Seattle with minor league outfielder Chih-Hsien Chiang in exchange for Bedard and Fields. Boston needs some insurance with starter Clay Buchholz sidelined by back problems. "We thought, looking at our club, that we certainly need to add a starting pitcher, if nothing else, for depth purposes. That was the best way we could impact club right now," Epstein said. "We like the starting pitching we have, but there are health questions with (Buchholz). That would be a really nice way to improve the club. We were out looking at every available starter," Epstein added. "It wasnt clear we were going to be able to get anything done until the last minute." Epstein continued: "Were glad not just to get any starting pitcher, but a guy who is capable of shutting down any lineup in the league when hes right, and can pitch big games down the stretch. He has the talent to take the mound in a pennant race if the opportunity presents itself." Red Sox manager Francona remembers facing Bedard when he was dealing for the Orioles. "He was real tough on us," Francona said. "Hes a guy who has shown he can pitch in the American League East. First half of the year before he tweaked that knee he was pretty solid," Francona said. "His stuff was good. Were excited." Francona said he would talk to Bedard before lining up his rotation for the coming week. "Well kind of build him back up," Francona said. "He just came off the DL Friday. Well build him back up and get him in there." Second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who had a key two-run single in Sundays 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox, was told of the trade after the victory. "Oh, right on. Awesome. Hes got great stuff," Pedroia said. "Hes going to help us a ton. Weve had some injuries on our pitching staff, so we need a guy to come in here and help," Pedroia said. "Hopefully he does a great job for us. Were excited to have him. Its going to be a fun rest of the season." A day earlier, the Red Sox added some infield depth by acquiring Mike Aviles from Kansas City. Bedard, who is 4-7 in 16 starts with a 3.45 earned-run average this season for the Mariners, wasnt so good against an AL East team on Friday when he faced Tampa. He showed the effects of his 32-day layoff after going on DL with a sprained left knee. He threw 57 pitches in just 1 1-3 innings and was tagged for five runs and three hits, walking four and striking out two. The Mariners had sent Baltimore five players for Bedard before the 2008 season but he has struggled because of injuries. Bedard was 15-14 with a 3.31 ERA in 46 appearances with the Mariners. He missed most of the 2009 season and all of 2010 after left shoulder surgery. He was 40-34 in five seasons with the Orioles, going 15-11 with a 3.76 ERA in 2006 and 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA the following season. "Looking at the market, most available pitchers were going to be free agents at end of the year. Erik falls into that category," Epstein said. "You hope the acquisition cost is appropriate for what youre getting back and addresses a need with the club that can make a difference in the standings, and if were lucky enough, in the post-season." Fields, 25, the 20th player taken in the 2008 draft out of Georgia, was 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA for double-A Jackson and 0-0 with a 6.23 ERA in nine games for triple-A Tacoma. "Weve been talking Chiang for a while. Robinson came in a couple hours (before the deadline) as we discussed it," Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said. "He was the guy we settled on." The Mariners have been struggling offensively -- the Mariners designated Jack Cust for assignment Friday -- and both 23-year-old prospects have power potential. Robinson is hitting .293 with 26 home runs and 71 RBI for triple-A Albuquerque. "Hell go to Tacoma and well watch him there," said Zduriencik, when asked if Robinson was close to a promotion. "Well see what happens." Chiang is hitting .338 with 36 doubles, 18 home runs and 76 RBI in 87 games for double-A Portland. cheap nfl jerseys .C. - Bernhard Langer overcame a bad start Saturday to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Champions Tours Greater Hickory Classic. jerseys from china . -- Garret Sparks made 31 saves as the Toronto Marlies beat the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-1 in American Hockey League play Tuesday.WASHINGTON - Anthony Rendon went 4 for 5 and hit one of four Washington home runs, and Doug Fister allowed four hits in six innings as the Nationals routed the Texas Rangers 10-2 on Saturday. Adam LaRoche, Jose Lobaton, and pinch-hitter Scott Hairston also homered in Washingtons offensive surge. The Nationals have racked up 24 runs and 42 hits in their last three games, winning two straight to climb back to .500. Rendon had six straight hits over two games before striking out in the eighth. Fister (3-1) allowed two runs and retired the first 10 Texas batters. Hes 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA in his last four starts, with 21 strikeouts and two walks. Rangers starter Nick Tepesch (2-1) allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits. He had won two straight decisions, but didnt make it past the second inning Saturday. Fister came in with a 5.67 career ERA against the Rangers, but didnt give up a hit until Elvis Andrus doubled in the fourth. He had an 8-0 lead by the time Texas scored in the fifth. The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the first when Rendon lined a Tepesch pitch into the Rangers bullpen for his sixth home run. In the second, Danny Espinosa doubled with one out. Lobaton, spelling Wilson Ramos in a day game after a night game, worked the count to 3-2 before hitting a homer into the first row of seats in right centre. Tepesch had given up just two homers in 18 1-3 innings before Saturday. The Nationals werent done in the second, with singles by Denard Span and Rendon. Jayson Werth doubled and the ball was bobbled in left by Shin-Soo Choo. nfl jerseys china. Both Span and Rendon scored to make it 5-0. Texas wasnt charged with any errors in the fourth inning, but two plays they didnt make allowed Washington to break the game open. Andrus lost Fisters pop-up in the sun and it fell for a lead-off single. Then with first and second and one out, Werth hit a smash that Andrus bobbled before recovering to get the force at second, with Werth just beating the relay. LaRoche then followed with a 3-run shot, his seventh of the year, putting the Nationals up 8-0. He has hit safely in all five games (7 for 22) since returning from a right quad strain. The Rangers got to Fister in the fifth when Alex Rios walked and scored on a double by Rougned Odour, and Mitch Moreland added an RBI-single in the sixth. Hairston, pinch-hitting for Werth, hit a two-run homer in the sixth. NOTES: Texas manager Ron Washington used pitcher Nick Martinez to pinch hit for Tepesch in the third inning. Martinez grounded out. . It was the Rangers sixth straight game without hitting a home run. . Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman (broken right thumb) was slated to play five innings in left field during his second rehab game Saturday night at Class A Potomac, Virginia. Zimmerman went 0 for 3 with a sacrifice fly as the designated hitter Friday night. . Hairston has 13 career pinch-hit homers, the most among active players. . RH Yu Darvish (4-2, 2.35) faces Washingtons Tanner Roark (3-3, 3.47) in Sundays series finale. wholesale jerseys ' ' ' |
