By Ian Browne / MLB.com
BOSTON -- Sometimes, the mind can wander when the postseason is looming and the game at hand really doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of the season. But Tim Wakefield was able to stay locked in to the point where his final tune-up was a knuckleball clinic.
The veteran Red Sox right-hander, who had the task of pitching Game No. 162 -- the second game of a doubleheader, no less -- dazzled in Sunday night's performance against the Yankees. Wakefield took a no-decision in a game the Red Sox wound up winning, 4-3, on a two-out, walk-off single to right by Jonathan Van Every in the bottom of the 10th inning.
"Wake was good -- he was efficient," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "He got us deep enough into a game on a long day where we didn't have to mess up our bullpen and do something we didn't want to do with somebody, and he threw the ball very well. That was really good to see."
Alex Cora led off the winning rally with a leadoff triple off Jose Veras. With one out, the Yankees intentionally walked Jeff Bailey and Sean Casey to load the bases. David Ross struck out. That left it in the hands of Van Every, who hammered one into right to send everybody home.
"Van Every gets a hit that will mean nothing in the standings, but it's more fun to go home with a win," Francona said.
For Van Every, who spent most of the year at Triple-A Pawtucket, it was a fun way to end the season.
"We got to go home -- that's what we were trying to do," said Van Every. "Fortunately, I came through in the situation. Any time you get to beat the Yankees in walk-off fashion, it's something special."
The Red Sox finished at 95-67, while the Yankees went home at 89-73.
Across five shutout innings, Wakefield allowed two hits and no walks, striking out three. He left after just 56 pitches, as the Red Sox weren't about to risk injury with all that will be at stake in the coming days.
"He was great," said Red Sox catcher Kevin Cash. "In the bullpen it wasn't that good, but he's got that capability of just locking it in for the game, which is good. He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes -- he had great movement. He had a big punchout against, I think, [Jason] Giambi in the third or fourth inning. But it's got to be a confidence boost for him going into the playoffs."
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