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Wakefield sharp as Sox blank Marlins

Veteran knuckleballer tosses three scoreless frames

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By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

03/09/10 3:50 PM EST

RED SOX 9, MARLINS 0
at Jupiter, Fla.
Tuesday, March 9

Red Sox at the plate: A first-inning walk to Bill Hall, coupled with a throwing error by Mike Lamb (who tossed wildly to the mound after a pickoff attempt at first), set up Jeremy Hermida's RBI single to right field. Hermida added a double and went 2-for-4 against his former team. The Red Sox tacked on two runs in the second to claim a 3-0 lead. Josh Reddick doubled and Ryan Kalish was credited with an infield single. Dusty Brown had an RBI fielder's-choice grounder, and Jacoby Ellsbury laced a two-out RBI single to right. Kalish drove in a run with a single in the third inning, and Brown added an RBI hit. Reddick added an RBI double in the seventh inning.

Marlins at the plate: The Marlins struggled with Tim Wakefield's knuckleball, collecting two hits (one a slow-rolling infield single) off the veteran over three innings. Hanley Ramirez went 1-for-2 with a single. Dan Uggla collected two singles. Prospect Bryan Petersen added a single.

Red Sox on the mound: Wakefield was effective over three scoreless innings, giving up two hits while striking out one. Commanding his knuckler, Wakefield threw 30 pitches, 22 for strikes.

Marlins on the mound: Anibal Sanchez was touched for five runs (four earned) in 2 1/3 innings. Facing his former organization, the right-hander walked three and struck out three. Of his 52 pitches, 27 were for strikes. In relief, Rick VandenHurk, who is vying for a rotation spot, tossed three scoreless innings, yielding one hit, one walk and two strikeouts.

Worth noting: Red Sox manager Terry Francona on making the trip from Fort Myers, Fla., to Jupiter: "I feel like we're in a different time zone." ... The Marlins lifted Ramirez after two at-bats, following his single with one out in the fourth inning. Ramirez has played four consecutive days.

Grapefruit League records: Marlins 4-3; Red Sox 5-2

Up next: The Red Sox return to Fort Myers, Fla., on Wednesday to take on the Rays at 1:05 p.m. ET. In a battle of left-handers, Jon Lester will make the start for Boston, while David Price will throw for Tampa Bay.

The Marlins travel to Kissimmee, Fla., to face the Astros at 1:05 p.m. Hayden Penn will start for Florida, and be followed by Chris Volstad. Houston is countering with lefty Wandy Rodriguez to start the Grapefruit League matchup.

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.