Arroyo finally falters

Bronson Arroyo picked an inopportune time to suffer his first September defeat as a member of the Red Sox.

The lanky righthander entered last night 7-0 all-time in September as a member of the Red Sox and had gone 4-0 with a 3.60 ERA in five starts this month. He was seeking to become the first Red Sox starter since Roger Clemens in 1987 to collect five wins in the first month of the fall.

Instead, he became the Fall Guy in a 7-2 loss to Toronto that, coupled with the Yankees' 2-1 victory, left Boston one game back in the American League East with four to play.

''Obviously, it's a big loss," said Arroyo. ''The only positive out of the game really was that Cleveland lost as well."

The Blue Jays bludgeoned Arroyo for seven runs (all earned) on seven hits in three innings of work. When he was lifted in fourth with the bases loaded, it marked his shortest start since he went 2 2/3 innings against Baltimore May 30, when he surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in an 8-1 loss.

But despite taking a beating from the Blue Jays, Arroyo clung fast to the hope that the resounding defeat was not his final opportunity to contribute to the Red Sox' playoff push. Arroyo would be on track to start if the Red Sox are forced to play a one-game playoff to determine their postseason fate. Manager Terry Francona said Arroyo would be available to pitch out of the bullpen in the Yankees series.

''I think as a whole, as a ballclub, we'll try to wipe this one away as quick as we can because this is not the time to dwell on what just happened," said Arroyo. ''I'll come tomorrow and get a lot of work in to feel as good as I can on Friday because I only threw 79 pitches and I feel like I'll be healthy for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday against the Yankees.

''It's always fun to pitch against those guys and obviously it's a very similar situation to me getting beat up in Game 3 against the Yankees in the ALCS. I got an opportunity to come back out and throw a big 10th inning [in Game 5]. You always hope for those opportunities, so we'll see."

Last night was a lost cause for Arroyo from the outset.

After he retired Russ Adams to open the game, Frank Catalanotto launched a triple off the garage door in the Triangle and Vernon Wells followed by belting an 0-and-1 slider into the Monster Seats in left to give Toronto a 2-0 lead.

''He mislocated the ball for the triple in that first inning and got underneath the breaking ball a little to Wells," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. ''He just couldn't quite find that groove."

Catalanotto, an unlikely culprit considering he entered the game with a .158 average in 19 career at-bats against Arroyo, struck again in the third, opening the inning by wrapping a home run around Pesky's Pole to give Toronto a 3-1 advantage. The Jays jumped on Arroyo like a trampoline after that. Eric Hinske belted a ball off the top of the camera well in center with Wells aboard to make it 5-1.

With Red Sox killer Ted Lilly on the mound, that was all the pesky Jays needed.

''It was just one of those days that every hit that they had -- other than the check-swing [single] by Hinske -- they were all mistakes and they smashed them," said Arroyo, who is now 14-10 with a 4.54 ERA on the season.

Catalanotto (3 for 5, 3 RBIs), who was a single short of the cycle by the fourth inning, greeted Lenny DiNardo with a two-run double off The Wall to close the book on Arroyo and the Red Sox.

David Ortiz said that at this point in the season the Sox can't afford another outing like Arroyo's. ''Our pitchers know that when we're facing a guy that has a history of giving us problems they have to avoid making mistakes," Ortiz said. ''Pretty much all of those hits were missing spots and we have to stay away from that."