Saved from embarrassment

The question never was, "What if Keith Foulke blows a save?" The only question was, "When?"

The inevitable occurred in the eighth inning of yesterday's 9-7 12-inning thriller, ending a sensational streak in which Foulke converted 10 straight saves this season for the Sox and 24 in a row dating to last season with the A's. He had not blown a save since Aug. 14, when Manny Ramirez launched a solo homer off him in the ninth inning as the Sox came from behind and edged the A's, 4-2, in 10 innings at Network Associates Coliseum.

"It makes it a lot easier because we battled back and won the ballgame," Foulke said. "Sometimes it's ugly, but that's why it's a team game. We got the win. That's all that's important."

Foulke, who entered the game with two outs in the eighth and the Sox leading, 5-3, let the advantage slip away by yielding a run-scoring single to Edgar Martinez and a three-run homer to Raul Ibanez, who was hitless in 14 previous career at-bats against Foulke. Ibanez connected on a 77-mile-an-hour changeup.

Until then, Foulke had allowed only one run in 25 1/3 innings this season, a meaningless run April 17 in a 5-2 victory over the Yankees. Since then, he pitched 16 1/3 scoreless innings in 15 appearances.

"It's good Foulke gets it out of the way," center fielder Johnny Damon said of the blown save, "and then we came back to win." Foulke's saves streak was the second-longest in the majors to Eric Gagne's 74 for the Dodgers.

A spoiler

Seattle center fielder Randy Winn broke up Curt Schilling's bid for a perfect game with two out in the sixth inning when he flared an opposite-field single to left. While with the Devil Rays, Winn also spoiled Tim Wakefield's bid for a no-hitter when he singled leading off the ninth June 19, 2001, at Tampa Bay. Schilling, who wound up surrendering four runs on five hits and a walk over 7 2/3 innings, never has pitched a no-hitter. He has thrown two one-hitters, against the Mets for the Phillies in 1992 and against the Brewers for the Diamondbacks in 2002. When he fanned Bret Boone in the fifth, Schilling passed Chuck Finley for 19th place on the all-time strikeout list. He finished the game with 2,612 strikeouts as he climbs toward 18th place, which is occupied by David Cone (2,668) . . . Mike Timlin contibuted to the win by bouncing back from throwing 34 pitches Saturday to blank the Mariners on 12 pitches in the 10th inning. It marked the first time the Sox have summoned Timlin to pitch the day after he threw 30 pitches or more since the second game last season, when he threw 21 pitches after firing 32 in the season opener. Timlin gave way to Anastacio Martinez, who pitched the final two innings to improve to 2-0. Manager Terry Francona said he planned to use Lenny DiNardo and Jamie Brown for two innings each if things continued.

Chipping in

After starting 21 straight games and 34 of the last 35, Damon missed a start with a sore left knee. The knee has bothered him since he fouled a ball off it April 9 in the home opener. Still, Damon pinch hit for Gabe Kapler in the eighth and helped tie the score with a sac fly to right that knocked in Jason Varitek and sent David McCarty to third; McCarty scored easily on Andy Dominique's opposite-field single to right . . . The hit was the first in the majors for Dominique. Plate ump Laz Diaz tossed the ball to hitting coach Ron Jackson, who was expected to hand off to Wakefield, a calligrapher, to inscribe. Dominique said he would give the ball to his father . . . Mark Bellhorn replaced Damon at the top of the order, going 2 for 6 and scoring his team-leading 37th and 38th runs . . . Doug Mirabelli, who tweaked his left hamstring lumbering out a double Saturday, was the only Sox position player who did not see action . . . The Sox originally were scheduled to leave after the game for Anaheim, Calif., where they open a two-game series Tuesday before a three-game swing through Kansas City. Instead, they stayed in town for a makeup today of an April 13 rainout against the Orioles. The game will give Derek Lowe an opportunity to make the best of a month in which he has gone 1-3 with a 7.30 ERA. He held the O's to two runs over six innings in a 10-3 victory April 7 in his only appearance against them this year . . . Ben Mondor, who turned Triple A Pawtucket into one of the nation's top minor league affiliates, was honored in pregame ceremonies. He will be inducted into the Sox Hall of Fame Nov. 10 with pitchers Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Hurst, catcher-manager Bill Carrigan, and infielders Wade Boggs, Billy Goodman, and Pete Runnels. Mondor joined former PawSox catcher Bill Haselman, Boston's interim first base coach, in presenting the lineups to the umpires . . . Sox fans may support Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramirez in helping victims of the massive flooding in the Dominican Republic by making financial donations at a collection area inside Gate A at Fenway at today's game. Representatives will be there to collect cash or checks made out to the Red Sox Foundation. Checks also may be mailed to the Red Sox Foundation care of the Dominican Relief Effort, Fenway Park, Boston, MA 02215.

Nixon laboring

Trot Nixon continues to labor with a strained left quadriceps and appears as if he will need at least two more weeks before he makes his season debut. Nixon strained the quad a month ago after recovering from a mildly herniated disk, which sidelined him from the start of spring training. "He's not ready to play full speed," Francona said. "He still feels it a little bit on the bases." Nixon is expected to continue playing right field or serving as a DH in extended spring training games until he is ready to begin a minor league rehab stint . . . Ellis Burks is on pace to return within two weeks after overcoming complications from knee surgery April 26. Burks developed a blood clot that required attention from a vascular specialist and set back his rehab program. "It put me off a little bit," he said, "but everything is on the upswing now." Burks will accompany the team on the road trip before he begins a rehab assignment, if necessary. He said he would rather save his hits for games that count . . . Scott Williamson will begin throwing today in Fort Myers, Fla., with an eye toward rejoining the team next week as he comes back from an inflamed right elbow . . . The Sox urged Nomar Garciaparra to rein in his intensity in the minor league rehab stint he began last night with Pawtucket in Louisville. He aggravated his injured right Achilles' trying to beat out an infield hit in spring training. "I'm just trying to get him to understand that he doesn't have to beat out the ball in Louisville," Francona said . . . The Sox sold out Fenway for the 90th straight time since last year, matching the third longest streak in history. The Giants drew 90 consecutive sellouts in 2001 and '02. The Indians set the record of 455 from 1995 to '01, and the Rockies rank second with 203 from '95 to '97 . . . Also on hand was 109-year-old Kathryn Gemme, who was born in Chicopee, grew up in Stoughton, and lives in Middleborough. She recalled watching the early Sox, including Babe Ruth helping to win the 1918 World Series.