Bellhorn sounds off -- he's hitting his stride
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Bellhorn's sixth-inning solo blast Wednesday simply narrowed a deficit to 10-2. Hardly cause for celebration. Yet it was.
''I know as tough as today was, he hits a home run, the whole dugout was out there [to congratulate him]," manager Terry Francona said Wednesday. ''They pull for him. So that was good."
A painfully shy individual, a diligent worker, and a statistical enigma (he's hitting .239 with a .350 on-base percentage), it's been tough to know what to make of the Sox second baseman this season. Bellhorn received a significant salary bump in arbitration in January, turning his 2004 pay ($490,000) to $2.75 million.
A year ago he belted 17 home runs, second best in his career, while posting career highs in average (.264), doubles (37), RBIs (82), and runs (93), hitting predominantly second in the lineup. This year, down to ninth, he went into the recent six-game West Coast swing hitting .216 with no home runs and seven RBIs.
But, on the road he enjoyed the best six-game stretch of his season, hitting .340 (7 for 20) at Safeco Field and McAfee Coliseum with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 5 walks, 5 RBIs, 6 runs, and a .480 OBP. That lifted his average 23 points and his OBP 29 points, to go along with 2 home runs and 12 RBIs.
''I know it's going to come sooner or later," said Bellhorn, who one year ago was hitting .231 with 5 homers and 21 RBIs. ''I've started feeling more comfortable this stretch. My foundation is a lot more solid, myself being aggressive. I'm ready to swing at the pitch.
''I was kind of seeing the pitch deeper, not on purpose, but that's usually my approach. I can feel myself being more aggressive."
Bellhorn, 30, has 13 doubles, trailing only teammate David Ortiz for the AL lead. He was leading the league in strikeouts with 45, but he was third in pitches per plate appearance (4.29). A 10-pitch at-bat with the bases loaded Monday demonstrated how he's contributing, even when he isn't producing, by working the opposing pitcher. He fell behind 0 and 2 and fouled off five pitches before whiffing with the count full.
''In my opinion, that was a really good at-bat," Francona said. ''He didn't get anything, but he had a great approach. A game like [Wednesday] he didn't give his at-bats away. So, hopefully he does come out of it feeling better. That would be good."
Road show
No team in baseball has played more road games than the Sox (24, tied with Toronto). ''At some point, I know we're going to play 81 at home," Francona said. ''It just doesn't seem like it right now." The Sox finish the season with 24 of 36 at home between Aug. 26 and Oct. 1. But, they're paying the price now. Coming off a six-game West Coast junket, the club plays just three home games (vs. Atlanta) this weekend before going back on the road. That's 12 of 15 games outside Fenway Park between May 13 and 29. This is one of three homestands this season of four games or fewer. ''This is a little unique," Francona said . . . David Wells, who led the NL last season with just 20 walks, and the AL the season before with just 20, has walked only three with 20 strikeouts. But, he's allowed 45 hits in 30 2/3 innings. He's given up eight or more hits in four of his six appearances. Opponents are batting .346 against the lefthander, who celebrates his 42d birthday today. As of yesterday morning, Wells ranked 395th among the 438 major league pitchers in opponents' batting average. Curt Schilling was 406th at .372 . . . Schilling's right ankle is expected to be reevaluated yet again today. Don't be surprised if Schilling is advised to remain in the removable plastic boot cast. Based upon the initial timetable, Schilling was due to come out of the boot nine days ago.
Not a fan
Interleague play begins a bit early, though most of the Sox don't seem to mind, given that this series against the Braves is at home and the DH rule will be in effect. But, count Trot Nixon among those who aren't a fan of the NL-AL games. ''Atlanta is not our natural rival," Nixon said recently. ''I think interleague has run its course." . . . Alan Embree's 1 2/3 shutout innings Tuesday earned him a win, evening his record at 1-1, while shaving his ERA to 3.72. He's had only two forgettable outings among his 19 appearances: April 19 vs. Toronto (1 IP, 2 ER) and May 2 at Detroit ( 2/3 IP, 3 ER). Remove those two outings and Embree's ERA would be 1.53. That's life as a reliever. ERAs inflate in an instant and take weeks, if not months, to reduce . . . The Sox have made only one error in their last seven games. They're 16-8 this season when they don't make an error, 7-9 when they make at least one . . . Twelve Red Sox pitchers have combined to give up 38 home runs. Only two have yet to give up a long ball: Mike Timlin (19 1/3 IP) and Mike Myers (5 2/3 IP) . . . Timlin may have given up the winning, two-run single to Oakland call-up Matt Watson Monday night, but the veteran reliever wasn't charged with the runs (Myers was). Thus, with his scoreless appearance Tuesday, Timlin has gone 14 outings without allowing a run. His season ERA is down to 0.93 (2 ER, 19 2/3 innings) . . . The Sox draw Atlanta's two aces this weekend, Tim Hudson tonight and John Smoltz Sunday. ''They have tremendous pitching," Jason Varitek said. ''That's the way they survive. They have four or five horses. They have new horses, but the same [story]."
