Embattled Red Sox pitchers Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and John Lackey denied a TV report Tuesday that said they drank beer in the dugout during games.

The allegation is the latest in a rough stretch for Boston, which missed the playoffs following a record collapse, going 7-20 in September and finishing at 90-72.

Manager Terry Francona was let go last month, general manager Theo Epstein appears to be on his way out and Lester, Beckett and Lackey have caught much of the blame for the team’s season-ending skid.

“Tonight our organization has heard directly from Jon, Josh, John, and former manager Terry Francona,” team president Larry Lucchino said Tuesday in a release.

“Each has assured us that the allegation that surfaced today about drinking in the dugout during games in 2011 is false, and we accept their statements as honest and factual.

“It is time to look forward and move forward, rather than allow a reckless, unsubstantiated accusation from ‘anonymous sources’ to mislead the public.”

WHDH-TV, citing two unidentified Red Sox employees, reported Tuesday that Beckett, Lester and Lackey would fill their cups with beer in the Fenway Park clubhouse, then return to the dugout and drink while watching the game.

One of the employees told WHDH-TV the three starters appeared “bored on nights they weren’t pitching and this is how they entertained themselves.”

“The accusation that we were drinking in the dugout during games is completely false,” Lester said in the release issued by the team. “Anonymous sources are continuing to provide exaggerated and, in this case, inaccurate information to the media.”

Said Beckett: “I cannot let this allegation go without response; enough is enough. I admit that I made mistakes along the way this season, but this has gone too far. To say that we drank in the dugout during the game is not true.”

The Boston Globe reported last Wednesday that Beckett, Lackey and Lester would eat fried chicken, drink beer and play video games in the clubhouse during games, instead of being in the dugout with their teammates. That story was based on “team sources.”

“There are things that went on this season that shouldn’t have happened, but this latest rumour is not true,” Lackey said in Tuesday’s release, “and I felt that it was important to try to stop this from going any further.”

Said Francona: “In 32 years of professional baseball, I have never seen someone drinking beer in the dugout.”

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Updated Oct 19, 2011 2:42 AM ET

BOSTON (AP)

Embattled Red Sox pitchers Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and John Lackey denied a TV report Tuesday that said they drank beer in the dugout during games.

The allegation is the latest in a rough stretch for Boston, which missed the playoffs following a record collapse, going 7-20 in September and finishing at 90-72.

Manager Terry Francona was let go last month, general manager Theo Epstein appears to be on his way out and Lester, Beckett and Lackey have caught much of the blame for the team’s season-ending skid.

”Tonight our organization has heard directly from Jon, Josh, John, and former manager Terry Francona,” team president Larry Lucchino said Tuesday in a release.

”Each has assured us that the allegation that surfaced today about drinking in the dugout during games in 2011 is false, and we accept their statements as honest and factual.

”It is time to look forward and move forward, rather than allow a reckless, unsubstantiated accusation from ‘anonymous sources’ to mislead the public.”

WHDH-TV, citing two unidentified Red Sox employees, reported Tuesday that Beckett, Lester and Lackey would fill their cups with beer in the Fenway Park clubhouse, then return to the dugout and drink while watching the game.

One of the employees told WHDH-TV the three starters appeared ”bored on nights they weren’t pitching and this is how they entertained themselves.”

”The accusation that we were drinking in the dugout during games is completely false,” Lester said in the release issued by the team. ”Anonymous sources are continuing to provide exaggerated and, in this case, inaccurate information to the media.”

Said Beckett: ”I cannot let this allegation go without response; enough is enough. I admit that I made mistakes along the way this season, but this has gone too far. To say that we drank in the dugout during the game is not true.”

The Boston Globe reported last Wednesday that Beckett, Lackey and Lester would eat fried chicken, drink beer and play video games in the clubhouse during games, instead of being in the dugout with their teammates. That story was based on ”team sources.”

”There are things that went on this season that shouldn’t have happened, but this latest rumor is not true,” Lackey said in Tuesday’s release, ”and I felt that it was important to try to stop this from going any further.”

Said Francona: ”In 32 years of professional baseball, I have never seen someone drinking beer in the dugout.”

There is the quick update of the day.

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BOSTON — Red Sox owner John Henry says the team has begun searching for a new manager and interviews could begin next week.

Henry said on Twitter on Tuesday that ownership was briefed by general manager Theo Epstein and his assistant Ben Cherington.

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Updated Aug 3, 2011 11:34 PM ET

BOSTON (AP)

Jacoby Ellsbury never had a game-winning hit before this week.

Now he has two in as many games.

One night after his ninth-inning single drove in the game-winning run, the Red Sox center fielder homered with two outs in the ninth on Wednesday to give the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Indians.

”The guy’s got us two nights in a row,” said Indians reliever Joe Smith (2-2), who retired the first two batters in the ninth before Ellsbury hit a 0-1 pitch over the wall in straightaway center.

Asked if the pitch was where he wanted it, Smith said: ”Four hundred and fifteen away to the middle of center? No.”

Jonathan Papelbon (4-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Boston, which won for the 10th time in 13 games. Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez each had two hits, and Tim Wakefield took a three-hitter into the seventh but could not collect career victory No. 200.

Jason Kipnis homered for the fourth straight day for Cleveland, which lost for the 10th time in 13 games to fall to .500 for the first time since the fourth game of the year. Starter Carlos Carrasco allowed three runs (two earned) and nine hits and three walks while striking out five before leaving with the game tied 3-all in the eighth inning.

Tony Sipp struck out two in a perfect eighth, and then Smith retired pinch-hitter Darnell McDonald and No. 9 hitter Marco Scutaro before Ellsbury, who was 0 for 4 so far in the game, came to the plate. Ellsbury, who hit a one-out single to win it on Tuesday, drove it over the high wall in center.

”I realized it was the ninth inning and I had been 0 for 4 both games. I’m just trying to get on base,” he said. ”The last two days have been pretty good.”

Wakefield took a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning with a chance for his 200th win, but he gave up doubles to Lonnie Chisenhall and Ezequiel Carrera to tie it. Red Sox manager Terry Francona headed to the mound, leading Wakefield to pound his fist in frustration and drawing boos from the crowd.

The fans cheered Wakefield as he left the field, but he did not react. He allowed three runs and five hits and two walks in all, striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.

”It’s hard,” Francona said. ”I knew what it meant to the fans wanting to see it — and so do I — and to him personally. But you do what you have to do to try and win the game.”

The right-handed knuckleballer, who turned 45 on Tuesday and is the oldest active player in the majors, will have another chance at becoming the 108th pitcher with 200 wins — the 89th since 1900 — on Monday or Tuesday night.

Carrasco, who had lost five straight starts, was suspended six games and fined $2,500 for throwing at the head of Kansas City’s Billy Butler on Friday night. He said he would drop his appeal and begin the suspension after Wednesday night’s game.

Notes: The teams are back for game four of the series on Thursday night, when newly acquired starter Erik Bedard will face former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson. Masterson is 3-3 with a 1.76 ERA in his past 11 games (10 starts). He was part of the deal that brought Victor Martinez to Boston at the 2009 trading deadline. In three career starts against his former team, he is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA. … Bedard only went 1 1/3 innings and gave up five runs in his previous start, for Seattle against Tampa Bay — his first start since coming off the DL (sprained left knee). … To make room for Jimenez on the roster, the Indians optioned LHP David Huff to Triple-A Columbus. … Indians OF Michael Brantley was given the night off to rest his sore right wrist. … Kipnis is the first Indians rookie to homer in four straight games since Al Rosen in 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … Pedroia was the AL player of the month for July, with 46 hits in the month. … Boston SS Marco Scutaro was back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday’s game with dizziness. … The Red Sox batter with game-ending hits on consecutive days of the regular season was Butch Hobson in 1978, though David Ortiz did it in the 2004 playoffs against the New York Yankees.

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BOSTON (AP)—The Boston Red Sox placed struggling right fielder J.D. Drew(notes)
on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday with a sore right shoulder and recalled
infielder Drew Sutton(notes) from Triple-A Pawtucket.

Drew is batting just .219 with four homers and 21 RBIs in the final year of
a five-year, $70 million contract and had largely lost his starting job to
rookie Josh Reddick(notes). The move was retroactive to July 20.

Sutton was called up for the third time this year. He was 5 for 16 on his
most-recent stay.

Also Tuesday, infielder Kevin Youkilis(notes) was not in the starting lineup a day
after straining his right hamstring trying to beat out an infield single.

“He’s a little sore. But he came through the exam last night pretty good,
which is really good,” manager Terry Francona said before Boston’s game against
the Kansas City Royals. “When he hit the bag, it looked bad and he kind of came
off limping and we got him out of there for precautionary reasons, and I’m glad
we did.”

Youkilis is hitting .279, with 14 homers and 72 RBIs and had appeared in 93
of the team’s first 100 games.

Drew was just 6 for 47 with no homers and three RBIs this month, with his
last homer on June 8.

Francona said Drew’s shoulder had been bothering him for two weeks.

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BOSTON (AP)—The Boston Red Sox placed struggling right fielder J.D. Drew(notes)
on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday with a sore right shoulder and recalled
infielder Drew Sutton(notes) from Triple-A Pawtucket.

Drew is batting just .219 with four homers and 21 RBIs in the final year of
a five-year, $70 million contract and had largely lost his starting job to
rookie Josh Reddick(notes). The move was retroactive to July 20.

Sutton was called up for the third time this year. He was 5 for 16 on his
most-recent stay.

Also Tuesday, infielder Kevin Youkilis(notes) was not in the starting lineup a day
after straining his right hamstring trying to beat out an infield single.

“He’s a little sore. But he came through the exam last night pretty good,
which is really good,” manager Terry Francona said before Boston’s game against
the Kansas City Royals. “When he hit the bag, it looked bad and he kind of came
off limping and we got him out of there for precautionary reasons, and I’m glad
we did.”

Youkilis is hitting .279, with 14 homers and 72 RBIs and had appeared in 93
of the team’s first 100 games.

Drew was just 6 for 47 with no homers and three RBIs this month, with his
last homer on June 8.

Francona said Drew’s shoulder had been bothering him for two weeks.

That’s all for today.

Read More: Mark Teixeira (1B – NYY), Freddy Garcia (P – NYY), David Ortiz (DH – BOS), Tim Wakefield (P – BOS), A.J. Burnett (P – NYY), Hector Noesi (P – NYY), New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees, Jun 8, 2011 7:05 PM EDT

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, tied atop the American League East standings, meet in Game 2 of their three-game series at Yankee Stadium Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET. The pitching matchup has A.J. Burnett going for New York against the seemingly ageless Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

While we wait for first pitch, let’s look at a few notable stories following Boston’s 6-4 victory Tuesday night.

Yankee starting pitcher Freddy Garcia was awful Tuesday night, lasting just 1.2 innings.

“I didn’t have anything today,” Garcia said. “I can’t throw strikes, can’t throw my slider. That’s what happened. I didn’t have the chance, really, to make any adjustments. Everybody’s seen my offspeed.”

Garcia (4-5, 3.86 ERA) has been pretty good in 10 starts so far this season, but the way Boston battered him around calls into question whether or not the Yankees can count on Garcia against the good teams in a pennant race. The veteran right-hander tops out at 85-86 mph and has to rely on keeping hitters off-balance with a variety of breaking balls, change-ups and splitters.

The Yankees need to hope Tuesday’s performance was an aberration for Garcia, not a sign of things to come.

First baseman Mark Teixeira is day-to-day after leaving Tuesday’s game when he got drilled in the right kneecap by a Jon Lester fastball. The Yankees are breathing a sigh of relief that the injury wasn’t worse.

“There are certain guys you can’t go without and Tex is one of those guys,” A-Rod said. “He’s in the middle of our lineup and he produces day-in and day-out on both sides. I had a little bit of a flashback to the postseason when he got hurt running down the bases. You talk about him or Robbie, there are some guys that are irreplaceable.”

Yankee manager Joe Girardi was not pleased by David Ortiz’ bat flip following his two-run home run off rookie right-hander Hector Noesi in the fifth inning Tuesday night. He said he “didn’t really care for it.” Big Papi’s response? “Big deal.”

So, what was the deal? To be honest, I didn’t care for it much, either. Ortiz can deny it, but there’s little doubt he was showing up Noesi. The young man dared to throw an inside pitch that made Ortiz move his feet, then follow it by trying to come inside for a strike. Ortiz hit the second pitch over the right field wall, then defiantly flipped the bat. On Ruocco and Lundberg today, Yankee broadcaster Al Leiter refused to criticize Ortiz based on his career and the fact that he does not habitually showboat.

You know what impressed me, though? Noesi went right back to pitching after that and put up four more scoreless innings. The home run was the only blemish on a six-inning, three-hit relief effort by the 24-year-old, who seems to impress every time he gets the ball.

There is the quick update of the day.

By Ed Valentine

– Regional Editor

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Jun 7, 2011 – In some ways, you could say the 2011 Major League Baseball season begins Tuesday night. With slightly more than 100 games play and one game separating the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the American League East standings Boston comes to Yankee Stadium to begin a three-game series (7:05 p.m. ET) as the best rivalry in sports is renewed once again.

Boston has overcome its dismal 2-10 start and is now 33-26, just one game behind the Yankees for the top spot in the division. Since May 13 when the Red Sox began a three-game sweep of the Yankees with a 5-4 victory they are 16-6.

MIke Lupica of the New York Daily News put Tuesday night’s series opener in a different light.

This isn’t the season starting, we did that already. This is the baseball summer starting Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, three between the Red Sox and the Yankees, Jon Lester against Freddy Garcia all the way until what looks like the main event for the week, Josh Beckett against CC Sabathia on Thursday night. This is the baseball version of school letting out, just with the first pitch from Garcia a little after 7 Tuesday night over there on the north side of 161st St. With the Yankees ahead of the Sox by a game. Even with LeBron and Wade playing Dirk. …

Somehow this feels like the perfect time for this series to happen, even if it does happen in the middle of the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals. It is a perfect time to find out what it looks like when the Red Sox are finally playing the way they are supposed to and the Yankees are doing the same, having come back from losing the first two games of their West Coast trip to winning six out of their last seven and coming within a couple of runs of making it seven in a row coming home.

Somehow, there is symmetry to it. June is here, summer is arriving and pennant race between the Yankees and Red Sox is heating up. Hard to ask for much more than that.

Read More: rivalry, al east standings, mlb standings, mlb schedule, mlb scorer, CC Sabathia (P – NYY), Freddy Garcia (P – NYY), Josh Beckett (P – BOS), Daisuke Matsuzaka (P – BOS), Phil Hughes (P – NYY), John Lackey (P – BOS), Jon Lester (P – BOS), New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees, Jun 7, 2011 7:05 PM EDT

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

BOSTON (AP)—The Boston Red Sox have activated right-hander Bobby Jenks(notes)
from the 15-day disabled list.

Jenks was in uniform and available for Tuesday night’s game against his old
team, the Chicago White Sox.

To make room for Jenks on the roster, the Red Sox optioned righty Michael
Bowden(notes) to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Also Tuesday, the Red Sox said injured shortstop Marco Scutaro(notes) has been
cleared to resume baseball activities. Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) went for a
second opinion on his injured right elbow.

Jenks has been on the disabled list since May 2 with a right biceps strain.
He has pitched in 11 games in Boston this year, going 1-2 with a 9.35 ERA and 10
strikeouts.

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There is the quick update of the day.

Boston Red Sox right-hander Josh Beckett is ready for Cleveland and his first start on Tuesday.

“It’s going to be balmy, right? I’ve pitched in the cold before,” Beckett said at Arlington, Tex., on Sunday.

“Actually, cold weather probably helps me more than anybody else here.”

Healthy after back problems plagued him in a forgettable 6-6 season in 2010, Beckett is anxious to get going.

He’ll have a chance to give the 0-3 Red Sox their first victory Tuesday at Cleveland’s Progressive Field, where he is 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA lifetime.

This year, Becket’s numbers in spring training were not good (6.64 ERA) until last week in Houston, when he allowed one hit in five shutout innings of the final Red Sox exhibition game.

“I think pride matters to him a lot. His pride took a beating last year,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

“I think he feels he’s got a lot to prove. He’s still a big leader on our staff.”

Beckett thhinks he is ready, but he is not ready to put all his hopes on Tuesday’s game.

“I’ve gotten off to good starts and been bad, and had bad starts and been good,” he said.

“During the offseason, I felt stronger, but it’s not like playing baseball every day.”

“He was really crisp in Houston,” said Francona, who thinks Beckett needs only to fine-tune his breaking ball to regain his touch

What are your opinions.

Tampa Bay Rays starter Wade Davis delivers against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Photo: Charles Krupa / AP

Tampa Bay Rays starter Wade Davis delivers against the Boston Red…

Tampa Bay Rays’ Sean Rodriguez kicks up some dirt as he steals third base ahead of a late tag by Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis during the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Photo: Charles Krupa / AP

Tampa Bay Rays’ Sean Rodriguez kicks up some dirt as he steals…

Boston Red Sox’s Adrian Gonzalez connects on a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Photo: Charles Krupa / AP

Boston Red Sox’s Adrian Gonzalez connects on a solo home run…

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Juan Cruz delivers to Boston Red Sox batter Marco Scutaro during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Photo: Charles Krupa / AP

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Juan Cruz delivers to Boston Red Sox batter…

Boston Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz delivers against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Photo: Charles Krupa / AP

Boston Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz delivers against the Tampa Bay…

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Published: Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 5:33 PM     Updated: Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 7:11 PM

LAKELAND, Fla. – The captain still gets huge cheers from the fans, but Jason Varitek is more than living history for the Red Sox.

“Stamina-wise, I’m not there yet. But I’ll get there,” the Boston catcher said Tuesday after playing six innings in a 2-1, 10-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium.

“Game-wise, I’m adjusting to the changes that come with age. That takes a little time.”

Varitek is hitting .222 in 18 at-bats after going 0 for 3 Tuesday. It is his handling of the pitchers as a backup to Jarrod Saltalamacchia that will define Varitek’s role in his 14th season.

He helped Daisuke Matsuzaka get back on track Tuesday. He also caught reliever Matt Albers for a scoreless inning.

Albers gave up a home run to Miguel Cabrera, the leadoff man in the seventh, when Paul Hoover was catching. It was telling that Varitek would not analyze Albers’ work yet.

“It’s the first time I’ve caught him. You have to get to know the pitchers, and more importantly, how the hitters react to the pitchers,” he said.

Varitek turns 39 in April. A backup for the first time last year, he formed a bond with starter Victor Martinez, who signed with Detroit in the offseason.

Martinez praised Varitek Tuesday for the veteran’s help and wisdom.

“That means a lot to me. Victor was not just a teammate, he became a friend,” Varitek said.

“Those are the things you take with you when you’re done with this game.”

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