--RHP Mike Timlin became the all-time leader in relief appearances by a right-handed pitcher when he threw a scoreless inning of relief in Monday night's victory over the Rays. The game was the 1,051st relief appearance of his career, and allowed him to pass Kent Tekulve (1,050 appearances) for sole possession of the all-time record for appearances by a righty. Timlin still trails a quartet of left-handed pitchers on the all-time list -- Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac, John Franco, Mike Stanton -- but stands only nine relief appearances behind Plesac after Monday's outing. "It means a lot to me. I've been looking forward to it all year long. Kent (Tekulve) was one of my heroes growing up," said Timlin of setting the longevity standard for right-handed relievers.
--C Jason Varitek smashed one of three Red Sox home runs in a seven-run fourth inning and became the Sox all-time leading home run hitter at catcher after rounding the bases. Varitek now owns 158 career home runs while strapping on the catching gear, and passed Hall of Fame backstop Carlton Fisk atop Boston's all-time list. Varitek's homer was one of six long balls for the Sox in the victory, the most home runs the Sox have crushed as a team since they smashed six home runs against Baltimore on Aug. 3, 2003. --3B Mike Lowell smashed one of Boston's six home runs in Monday night's win, and continues to play through a right hip injury that required a third painkilling shot last week. Lowell has a slight labral tear in his right hip, and it may require surgery following the season. The 34-year-old third baseman has undergone several shots in an effort to manage the hip condition this season, and will have to gut through the rest of the year without any shots. Lowell snapped out of a 3-for-15 funk with his solo homer Monday night, and insists that the balky hip isn't affecting him at the plate or in the field.
--RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka worked five innings of one-run ball and fanned seven hitters in posting his 17th win of the season Monday night. The victory raised Matsuzaka's gaudy 2008 won-loss total to 17-2 and also allowed "Dice-K" to amass the highest single season win total by a Japanese pitcher in Major League history. The 28-year-old is 17-2 with a 2.93 ERA, but has also pitched six innings or less in five of his last six starts down the stretch. RHP Hideo Nomo had previously won 16 games three times during his Major League career, but never made it to the magical No. 17.
--DH David Ortiz struck for the big blow in Monday night's win when he slammed a three-run homer off Tampa Bay nemesis LHP Scott Kazmir in the very first inning. The big fly was only Ortiz's second home run in his last 28 games, but it nonetheless gave "Big Papi" sole possession of second place on the all-time home run list for designated hitters. Ortiz has smashed 244 home runs as a DH during his Major League career, which puts him one ahead of former Seattle DH Edgar Martinez. Ortiz still trails Oakland A's DH Frank Thomas' career total of 269 home runs at the DH spot.
BY THE NUMBERS: 100 -- RBIs reached by Kevin Youkilis on Sept. 10, a career high for Youkilis and a signal of the offensive breakthrough the Sox slugger has enjoyed this season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "My hand is not OK. It's still (bothering) me once in a while. But we're still winning, so I don't pay attention to it. I keep on trying. There's no pain. Clicking. If there was pain, I wouldn't be playing. Pain won't allow you to play like that. It's the same thing, on and off." -- DH David Ortiz, talking about the continued discomfort in his left wrist that he'll be playing through for the rest of the season.
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