Petagine gets long-awaited call

Red Sox first baseman John Olerud, who said he felt a twinge in his sore left hamstring during batting practice before last night's 8-5 victory over the Royals at Fenway Park, was placed on the 15-day disabled list. His roster spot was filled by Pawtucket first baseman Roberto Petagine, who will get a chance to show his talents starting today.

Manager Terry Francona said the team elected to go with Petagine, who has had a productive Triple A season. He was hitting .327 with 20 homers and 69 RBIs in 74 games at Pawtucket.

''[PawSox manager] Ron Johnson has been raving about him," Francona said of Petagine, who underwent knee surgery in spring training, preventing him from making the 25-man roster.

Olerud said going on the DL was the right decision for him and the team.

''Something like this can usually go a week to 10 days and you never really know how long it's going to take so I think [the Sox brass] wanted to be cautious and make sure it gets taken care of and also give us some options on the roster," Olerud said. ''It's unfortunate for me because I really felt I was swinging the bat well."

Olerud was 5 for 12 with two homers in a weekend sweep of the Minnesota Twins and had nine RBIs in his last four games. Not to mention his excellent defense at first base.

More Foulke tales

Keith Foulke played long toss without pain prior to the game and afterward manager Terry Francona indicated the closer would throw off the mound Monday.

Foulke, who was in the locker room icing his surgically repaired left knee, appears to be on schedule to return by mid-August. He has indicated in the past that he should not need a rehabilitation assignment, but the Sox might differ. They'll probably know better after he throws Monday. The plan is for Foulke to throw off the hill Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

As for shoring up the bullpen, the Red Sox have been preparing within the organization. They recently returned Jon Papelbon to Pawtucket and have decided to make him a reliever. He could be back with the big-league team after a few outings. The Sox already have Manny Delcarmen up and the thought is the Hyde Park native will be brought along slowly.

There was even a Rich ''El Guapo" Garces update from Fort Myers, Fla. The former Sox reliever, who was recently re-signed by the organization, pitched another inning for the Sox' Gulf Coast League team yesterday. His fastball topped out at 89 m.p.h. as he struck out the side, but he also allowed a solo homer.

First-round draft pick Craig Hansen is about ready to make his Gulf Coast League debut. Hansen, who signed a four-year, $4 million major league deal out of St. John's, has been getting into shape and could take the hill within the next two days.

Another question affecting the bullpen is when -- or if -- current closer Curt Schilling will return to the rotation.

Francona, when asked about Schilling's future status, reiterated that, ''our goal all along has been to get him ready to go back into the starting rotation."

Schilling's sixth save Tuesday seemed to indicate the righthander is trying to gain arm strength to make the move back to the rotation. Of his 27 pitches, 24 were fastballs. He didn't throw a splitter until the 22d pitch, a sign that he's trying to throw as many fastballs as he can to increase his velocity.

Bell's nephew killed

Lance Cpl. Timothy Michael Bell Jr., 22, a nephew of Royals manager Buddy Bell, was among the 14 Marines killed yesterday by a roadside bomb in Iraq. There was a moment of silence before last night's game. ''It makes it harder to see the skipper, the rock of our team, with tears in his eyes," the Royals' Mike Sweeney said. ''We wanted to pull this one out for Skipper, with the pain he's going through." . . . David Wells has no inkling as to when the appeal of his six-game suspension for his contretemps with an official will be heard. ''Maybe '06," kidded Wells. ''Maybe they're looking at it and realizing that six games is too much." Wells doesn't want the situation to linger into September, when he's scheduled to face AL East teams. At stake is $300,000, the salary he would forfeit for a six-game suspension . . . Of the 25 players on the Sox' active roster on Opening Day, only 14 remain at present: Bronson Arroyo, Matt Clement, Mike Myers, Mike Timlin, Tim Wakefield, Wells, Doug Mirabelli, Jason Varitek, Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, David Ortiz, Renteria, Johnny Damon, and Ramirez. In all, 43 players have appeared in a Red Sox uniform this season (23 position players and 20 pitchers).