Papelbon's 100th save exciting news

Everything was as he wanted it. Tight game, in Fenway Park, with a chance to put the Red Sox in first place. Everything, except his performance.

Though he gave up a run in the ninth inning, the Orioles' only run in a 2-1 loss to the Sox yesterday, Jonathan Papelbon recorded the 100th save of his career. Papelbon became just the third player (Dick Radatz, Bob Stanley) to save 100 games for the Sox, and the second-fastest ever to reach the milestone, doing it in 176 games (Seattle's Kazuhiro Sasaki accomplished it in 160 games).

"I would have liked to have done it without giving up a run there," Papelbon said. "I didn't execute pitches very well, but I was able to go out there and just will myself through that one and, sure enough, collect my 100th.

"It's been a culmination of a lot of things. One hundred down, I guess three or four hundred left to go."

Papelbon entered with a two-run lead and he made it interesting. The closer allowed three singles, the last by Aubrey Huff to drive in a run, and faced Melvin Mora with two outs and men on first and third. But Papelbon got Mora to line to second, ending the game for his 28th save this season.

Fifteen of his 100 saves have come against the Orioles, though Papelbon did give up his first run to Baltimore after holding them scoreless over his first 19 career appearances (17 2/3 innings).

"Today I was throwing hard, I felt like I was throwing hard, but I was just leaving balls up over the plate," Papelbon said. "They didn't have my normal late life on it, just for the simple fact that I was getting excited when I had two strikes on guys. I was kind of overthrowing a little bit, but I tend to do that sometimes."

Still, he got the save. And with that milestone in tow, Papelbon will head off to his third All-Star Game tomorrow night in New York. "He got his money's worth [yesterday]," manager Terry Francona said. "You'll see a lot more. He's one of the best in the game."

Starts are aligned

Clay Buchholz will get the first start after the All-Star break, Friday night in Anaheim, Calif. Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield will start the final two games against the Angels, then Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Buchholz will pitch in Seattle.

"The idea is to incorporate some rest for some people and some balance, and I think we're accomplishing that," Francona said.

John Lackey is scheduled to oppose Buchholz Friday; the Angels have not yet named starters for the rest of the series.

No break in action

The Sox' All-Star representatives left for New York last night by train, and will return late tomorrow night. But Francona was hoping to sneak some fun into the short trip, one that comes with a lot of responsibilities and a packed schedule. In his first All-Star gig as AL manager in 2005 in Detroit, Francona had most of his fun during the Home Run Derby. "Me and [Alan ] Trammell and [Ken] Macha and the coaches got chairs and went down the third base line," Francona said. "There was enough foul territory down there where we could sit and watch and relax. I enjoyed it. I don't see that happening here." . . . Sox minor leaguer Che-Hsuan Lin, a center fielder with the Single A Greenville Drive, was named most valuable player of the Major League Baseball Futures Game yesterday at Yankee Stadium. Lin entered as a defensive substitution for the World team in the sixth inning and went 2 for 2 with a two-run home run in a 3-0 victory over the US team . . . Mike Lowell was the designated hitter yesterday, with Kevin Youkilis playing third base and Sean Casey at first. Francona said Lowell was "a little beat up." . . . Youkilis left with a left triceps contusion after being hit by a pitch from Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera in the sixth. X-rays were negative, and Francona said Youkilis would be fine . . . Francona maintained that both Alex Cora and Jed Lowrie would share the shortstop job for the time being. Cora got the start yesterday, and Lowrie took over for Youkilis in the seventh. As for injured starter Julio Lugo, he is expected to begin rehabbing his torn left quadriceps after the break . . . Jason Varitek, who almost always speaks after games he catches, rushed out of the clubhouse with his right eye red and swollen. Varitek was going to get his eye checked by a doctor before catching the train to New York. It did not appear to be serious . . . The Sox completed the first half with 57 wins, tied with the 1978 team for most before the break since 1956, though they have played more games than usual before the break.