A winning quality about him

Wakefield's work finally rewarded

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tim Wakefield having made 16 quality starts (six or more innings, three runs or fewer) at age 42 is amazing enough.

Now he's thrust himself into the upper echelon all time in his age group. Last night's 8-2 win over the Kansas City Royals enabled Wakefield to tie Nolan Ryan (1991), Charlie Hough (1991), and Gaylord Perry (1982) for the 10th-most quality starts in a season by a righthanded pitcher at least 41 years old.

And the season is far from over.

"One of my goals every time out is to give the team a quality outing. I've been able to accomplish that this season," said Wakefield, who earned his 175th career victory.

Wakefield has the most quality starts on the Red Sox' staff, and seven more than Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is 12-2. Wakefield has had some tough luck, and has lacked run support at times, and thus is 7-8.

He went six innings last night, allowing two runs, on Ross Gload's single in the fifth. To that point, he had allowed only a Mark Teahen first-inning single and had retired 10 straight batters until Billy Butler and Alex Gordon stroked back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. After John Buck fanned, Gload singled to bring the Royals within 3-2.

Wakefield pitched a 1-2-3 sixth and his night was over, as Boston had built a 5-2 lead. Jacoby Ellsbury's three-run homer in the seventh made it a lopsided victory.

Wakefield, who has allowed two runs and eight hits in his last 12 1/3 innings, had been winless in his last three starts, despite pitching into the seventh in two. He got a no-decision in a 2-1, 12-inning win over Oakland at Fenway Park Aug. 1, going 6 1/3 innings and not allowing a run.

That's what Wakefield, who lasted at least six innings in 12 of his last 13 starts, has endured all season. Yet he says he never allows himself to feel frustrated.

"We won, and that's all that counts," said Wakefield. "I felt great from the time I warmed up tonight. I can only control so much. I try to give the club innings and keep us in the game and let our offense work. That's why they call it baseball."

Sox manager Terry Francona wanted to get Wakefield a win, and with the score 5-2, he felt six innings were enough, hoping to save his knuckleballer for the long haul.

"He's pitched so well for us," said Francona. "He allowed us to get untracked offensively. He kept them at bay. The way he's pitched this year . . . you have that human emotion, and everyone felt that way in our dugout. We really wanted to get him a win. With the offday [today] and the fact we wanted [Jonathan Paplebon] to pitch an inning, I felt it was a good time to take him out."

Wakefield had no objections. He is tied with Jon Lester with 23 starts, and is well on his way to 200-plus innings (he has 147). Wakefield, who won 17 games a year ago, won't get to that number this season, but he knows his performance has been appreciated in the clubhouse.

"When Wake goes out there, we believe we can win," said Alex Cora.

Nothing more need be said.