Boston — Boston Red Sox left-handed reliever Hideki Okajima has cleared waivers and will be outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket, the Red Sox said Tuesday.Okajima, who was designated for assignment last week, will join up with the team on Thursday."No teams came in for me and I will stay here in the minors," Okajima said in a blog entry on his website.The 35-year-old last pitched in the majors on May 9 against the Minnesota Twins and is 1-0 with a 4.32 ERA in seven appearances this season.Okajima started the season in the minors for the first time after losing a tight race in spring training. He was called up by the Red Sox on April 18.Okajima played a significant role in the Red Sox's run to the 2007 World Series title by posting a 2.22 ERA in a team-high 66 regular-season games.He has pitched in at least 56 games in each of the past four seasons.
Showing posts with label Okajima. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Okajima. Show all posts
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Okajima exhibits poise in tough late-game situations
BOSTON — Carl Crawford knew he hit it well enough to reach the Green Monster, and he had one thought when rounded first base.
Energetic effort: Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos can't reach a three-run homer by Chicago's Carlos Quentin in the seventh innning on Monday. The White Sox beat Los Angeles 8-0. AP"I saw him and I was yelling, 'Go, go,' " Crawford said after his double off the left-field wall scored pinch runner Jose Iglesias on a close play at the plate in the 11th inning, lifting the Red Sox to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.Crawford, who was hitting just .135 a little over a week ago, had a game-ending single May 1 when the Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners. Now, he's starting to enjoy his time with the Red Sox a lot more."It's always nice to get walkoffs," he said, breaking into a brief smile. "I'll take 'em all the time."The double was Crawford's only hit of the night, but extended his hitting streak to nine games after his dreadful start. He's now hitting .211."He's still settling in," Boston catcher Jason Varitek said.The Red Sox closed out their longest homestand of the season at 6-5.Hideki Okajima (1-0) pitched two innings, getting out of a two-on, one-out jams in each, for the win."He had been rested for a few days, which is good, because we'd leaned on Matt Albers and Daniel Bard a little bit and wanted to stay away from them," Francona said of using Okajima two innings. "He did a good job."Closer Jonathan Paplebon, who blew his first save opportunity of the season, was more than happy to talk about Crawford's recent success."I think we're seeing a guy that goes out there, that's a great athlete and is doing what he can to pick up the ballclub," he said.Boston beat Minnesota in the final three games of a four-game series, and won for the 11th time in 12 games in Fenway Park."He probably didn't get out as far as he could have, but he was probably running about as fast as he'll ever run," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Iglesias, who was called up Sunday when Marco Scutaro was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique. Tigers 10, Blue Jays 5In Toronto, Max Scherzer won his sixth consecutive decision, Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer and Detroit beat the hosts.Scherzer (6-0) has not lost in eight starts this season. His season-opening winning streak is the longest by a Tigers pitcher since Jeremy Bonderman won eight straight in 2007. Athletics 7, Rangers 2In Arlington, Texas, Trevor Cahill pitched seven strong innings to earn his sixth straight win to start the season and Josh Willingham homered and drove in five runs and Oakland beat the Rangers.Cahill (6-0) matched the major league lead with his sixth victory, and equaled his career best by winning his seventh consecutive decision. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out seven, walked one and allowed five hits. He became the Athletics' first 6-0 starter in 21 years. White Sox 8, Angels 0In Anaheim, Edwin Jackson pitched seven superb innings for his first victory in more than a month, Carlos Quentin homered and drove in five runs, and Chicago routed Los Angeles. NATIONAL LEAGUE Pirates 4, Dodgers 1In Pittsburgh, Neil Walker hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the surging Pirates beat Los Angeles to move above .500 in mid-May for the first time in seven years.Garrett Jones led off the eighth with a walk before Walker laced a shot into the right-field corner off Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (2-2). Jones scored all the way from first to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.Lyle Overbay and Ryan Doumit followed with a pair of run-scoring doubles to make a winner out of Jose Veras (1-1).The Dodgers have lost seven of nine, and lost their cool in the eighth with the score tied at one Rockies 2, Mets 1In Denver, Chris Iannetta broke a seventh-inning tie with a homer that barely cleared the left-field wall and Colorado snapped its four-game skid with a win over New York. Phillies 6, Marlins 4In Miami, Philadelphia turned four double plays behind Joe Blanton, who came off the disabled list to pitch five innings and earn his first win of the season by helping to beat Florida. Brewers 4, Padres 3In Milwaukee, Zack Greinke struck out nine over six effective innings in his home debut and Rickie Weeks homered, lifting the Brewers over San Diego. Reds 6, Astros 1In Houston, Travis Wood hit a three-run homer and pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning to lead Cincinnati over the Astros.
Energetic effort: Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos can't reach a three-run homer by Chicago's Carlos Quentin in the seventh innning on Monday. The White Sox beat Los Angeles 8-0. AP"I saw him and I was yelling, 'Go, go,' " Crawford said after his double off the left-field wall scored pinch runner Jose Iglesias on a close play at the plate in the 11th inning, lifting the Red Sox to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.Crawford, who was hitting just .135 a little over a week ago, had a game-ending single May 1 when the Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners. Now, he's starting to enjoy his time with the Red Sox a lot more."It's always nice to get walkoffs," he said, breaking into a brief smile. "I'll take 'em all the time."The double was Crawford's only hit of the night, but extended his hitting streak to nine games after his dreadful start. He's now hitting .211."He's still settling in," Boston catcher Jason Varitek said.The Red Sox closed out their longest homestand of the season at 6-5.Hideki Okajima (1-0) pitched two innings, getting out of a two-on, one-out jams in each, for the win."He had been rested for a few days, which is good, because we'd leaned on Matt Albers and Daniel Bard a little bit and wanted to stay away from them," Francona said of using Okajima two innings. "He did a good job."Closer Jonathan Paplebon, who blew his first save opportunity of the season, was more than happy to talk about Crawford's recent success."I think we're seeing a guy that goes out there, that's a great athlete and is doing what he can to pick up the ballclub," he said.Boston beat Minnesota in the final three games of a four-game series, and won for the 11th time in 12 games in Fenway Park."He probably didn't get out as far as he could have, but he was probably running about as fast as he'll ever run," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Iglesias, who was called up Sunday when Marco Scutaro was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique. Tigers 10, Blue Jays 5In Toronto, Max Scherzer won his sixth consecutive decision, Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer and Detroit beat the hosts.Scherzer (6-0) has not lost in eight starts this season. His season-opening winning streak is the longest by a Tigers pitcher since Jeremy Bonderman won eight straight in 2007. Athletics 7, Rangers 2In Arlington, Texas, Trevor Cahill pitched seven strong innings to earn his sixth straight win to start the season and Josh Willingham homered and drove in five runs and Oakland beat the Rangers.Cahill (6-0) matched the major league lead with his sixth victory, and equaled his career best by winning his seventh consecutive decision. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out seven, walked one and allowed five hits. He became the Athletics' first 6-0 starter in 21 years. White Sox 8, Angels 0In Anaheim, Edwin Jackson pitched seven superb innings for his first victory in more than a month, Carlos Quentin homered and drove in five runs, and Chicago routed Los Angeles. NATIONAL LEAGUE Pirates 4, Dodgers 1In Pittsburgh, Neil Walker hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the surging Pirates beat Los Angeles to move above .500 in mid-May for the first time in seven years.Garrett Jones led off the eighth with a walk before Walker laced a shot into the right-field corner off Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (2-2). Jones scored all the way from first to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.Lyle Overbay and Ryan Doumit followed with a pair of run-scoring doubles to make a winner out of Jose Veras (1-1).The Dodgers have lost seven of nine, and lost their cool in the eighth with the score tied at one Rockies 2, Mets 1In Denver, Chris Iannetta broke a seventh-inning tie with a homer that barely cleared the left-field wall and Colorado snapped its four-game skid with a win over New York. Phillies 6, Marlins 4In Miami, Philadelphia turned four double plays behind Joe Blanton, who came off the disabled list to pitch five innings and earn his first win of the season by helping to beat Florida. Brewers 4, Padres 3In Milwaukee, Zack Greinke struck out nine over six effective innings in his home debut and Rickie Weeks homered, lifting the Brewers over San Diego. Reds 6, Astros 1In Houston, Travis Wood hit a three-run homer and pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning to lead Cincinnati over the Astros.
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