Number, and spirits, raised

Pesky is flattered by his ceremony

Jonathan Van Every gave everyone at Fenway Park a reason to smile with his game-winning single in the 10th of the nightcap. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

Johnny Pesky covered his face with his hands, not quite hiding his moist eyes. He stood behind home plate at Fenway Park, looking out to right field through the raindrops, just beyond and to the left of the foul pole named after him.

Pesky watched Carlton Fisk rip away a green curtain hanging over the façade of the upper deck, revealing Pesky's No. 6 between Joe Cronin's No. 4 and Carl Yastrzemski's No. 8. Pesky wore the home white No. 6 uniform as he watched, the last time anyone will wear it.

The Red Sox retired Pesky's number in a ceremony before yesterday's first game, a 6-2 victory by the Yankees. The Sox altered their policy on retiring numbers for Pesky, bolting his number to the façade despite him not being in the Hall of Fame. He became the sixth Sox player to be so honored, joining Bobby Doerr (No. 1), Cronin, Yastrzemski, Ted Williams (No. 9), and Fisk (No. 27).

"I can't get over how it got up there," Pesky said afterward. "Because I wasn't Hall of Fame material. But I played with some great guys, and I was great coat hanger. I was hanging on to Ted and Bobby and Dom [DiMaggio]. We had so much fun and played so well together."

Pesky, known as Mr. Red Sox, has spent 57 years with the Sox as a player, coach, manager, broadcaster, and just about everything else. He still keeps a locker in the clubhouse.

Pesky, even on a day meant solely for him, couldn't stop talking about the team he loves. When he stepped to the microphone to address the crowd, he told them the Red Sox had a great club this year.

"I can't remember their names," said Pesky, who turned 89 Saturday. "I'm lucky to remember my own name at my age."

The crowd laughed along with Pesky. They showered him with a rousing ovation, and afterward clapped in rhythm and chanted "John-ny Pes-ky."

"I didn't think I'd get that kind of welcome," Pesky said. "This is very flattering."

The Red Sox played a tribute on the video board depicting Pesky's life and career with the Red Sox.

Pitcher Curt Schilling offered a taped message, as did Nomar Garciaparra, always one of Pesky's favorite players, while wearing a Dodgers hat.

Pedroia misses out
It seemed, for a minute, as if Dustin Pedroia were really going to do it. The ball bounced up off the dirt on shortstop Cody Ransom, surprising him (nearly hitting him in the face) and allowing Pedroia to scamper to first base for an infield hit, his second single of the day. At that point Pedroia's batting average was .3271. Joe Mauer's was, at that moment, .3276.

That was as close as Pedroia got, though, as his average dipped to .326 after hitting into two outs to end his afternoon in the first game of yesterday's doubleheader split. Mauer had been 0 for 3, but he added two hits to get to .330.

"Not really," Pedroia said about whether he was paying attention to the race for the batting title. "If I finish second or third or whatever it is, I'm happy with that. That's fine."

Should the White Sox win today in their makeup game with the Tigers, the Twins and White Sox will play one game to determine the American League Central winner. And those statistics would count as part of the regular season.

Still, Mauer would have to go 0 for 7 to drop below Pedroia's mark. Pedroia didn't play in Game 2 last night.

Drew plays seven
Right fielder J.D. Drew played seven innings in the first game, going 0 for 2 with a walk in his three plate appearances. Drew, sidelined with a herniated disk in his lower back, had not played since Aug. 17 aside from three innings Friday night.

Drew passed his major test, sprinting toward the right field wall in the first and then sliding on his knees to snare a liner by Johnny Damon. He showed no ill effects from the play. Drew sat out the night game.

"I think pretty well," manager Terry Francona said when asked how Drew endured the game.

"He got a little stiff at the end. He moved around the outfield, got down the line pretty well. I don't doubt he could have stayed in the game; I didn't see any reason to do that. I think we're encouraged. The next step will be how he's able to bounce back."

Different tuneups
Daisuke Matsuzaka started the first game and threw 73 pitches in four innings, allowing three runs on four hits with two walks. He took the loss and finished the year with an 18-3 record and a 2.90 ERA.

"The important thing was to get myself prepared for the playoffs," Matsuzaka said through an interpreter. "And I was able to do that today. I wasn't too concerned about the win or the loss."

"I think he feels real good about himself," said Francona. "I think he should. He's strong. The ball is coming out of his hand good. His breaking ball has got some depth to it. I think he is situated to be very strong."

While Matsuzaka felt encouraged by his tuneup, closer Jonathan Papelbon struggled while pitching the eighth inning. He needed 33 pitches - the most he has thrown in one outing this season - and allowed three runs on four hits and a walk.

Rain started falling before the eighth, and the soggy conditions flustered Papelbon. His cleats collected mud, and he struggled with traction.

"Yeah, it's frustrating, a frustrating weekend in general," Papelbon said. "I feel fine. Happy to get out without an injury."

Fitting nightcap
The Sox won the second game, 4-3, in 10 innings on Jonathan Van Every's walkoff single. Sean Casey came to the plate with two outs in the eighth, the score tied at 1, and the bases loaded. He stroked a single through the middle of the infield off Darrell Rasner, scoring Coco Crisp and Alex Cora. But David Aardsma allowed the Yankees two in the ninth, setting up extra-inning heroics from Cora and Van Every. Cora led off the 10th by smacking a triple into the right-center gap off Jose Veras, just past the dive of Melky Cabrera. Chris Carter followed by striking out, and Veras intentionally walked Jeff Bailey and Casey to pitch to David Ross, the Sox' third catcher. Ross struck out, bringing Van Every to plate. He lashed a 2-and-1 pitch to right field, which one-hopped into the outfield . . . Tim Wakefield started the nightcap and allowed no runs on two hits in five innings. He struck out three . . . The Sox announced their season attendance at 3,048,248, marking the first time they have drawn more than 3 million. It also marked the fifth straight season the Sox sold out every game at Fenway Park.

Some times set
The Sox will open the ALDS against the Angels Wednesday at 10:07 p.m., with Friday's Game 2 scheduled for 9:37 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on TBS. The Angels announced that John Lackey, Ervin Santana, and Joe Saunders will form, in that order, their starting rotation for the ALDS against the Red Sox. The Angels will carry 10 pitchers. Against Boston this season, Lackey was 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA, and Saunders was 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA. Santana did not face the Sox. Boston's Game 1 starter, Jon Lester, is 5-5 with a 4.09 ERA on the road . . . Yankees Game 1 starter Mike Mussina won his 20th game of the season, reaching the milestone after many near misses . . . Fenway will host a postseason pep rally today at 3:30 p.m., featuring the ownership group, Francona, and several players. Fans are invited to come free of charge and can enter through Gate D. The first 2,500 will receive a coupon for a free hot dog and soda. The event will be broadcast live on NESN at replayed at 8.

Amalie Benjamin of the Globe staff contributed to this report.