ATLANTA - Raul Jimenezs late header for Mexico went just wide in a 0-0 draw with Nigeria in an international friendly Wednesday at the Georgia Dome. The game
between World Cup qualifiers attracted 68,212 fans, the largest crowd for a
football match in Atlanta. The previous record was 54,229 for a 2013 Gold Cup
doubleheader that included Mexico. Nigerian backup goalkeeper Austin Ejide, a
late substitute for Vincent Enyeama, had to make a couple of saves in the final
10 minutes, but he would not have reached Jimenezs shot if it were on target.
Jimenez got to a corner at the far post and his diving header sailed inches
outside the post. Mexico will play a friendly against the United States on April
2 in Glendale, Arizona. BOSTON -- David Ortiz went from gesturing up at an
official scorer one at-bat earlier to pumping his fist toward his teammates
after his game-tying homer. Three pitches later, he was hugging Mike Napoli at
home plate after his teammates winning home run. Napoli and Ortiz hit
consecutive homers with one out in the 10th inning and the Boston Red Sox
rallied past Minnesota 2-1 Wednesday, sending the Twins to their fifth straight
loss. "We havent been able to produce. Our pitching has been outstanding lately,
but we havent been able to hit," Ortiz said. "To come back and win the game,
that was big." Boston was held to one hit -- a fifth-inning double by
Daniel Nava -- before the homers. The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the
10th on Chris Parmelees two-out home run off Red Sox closer Koji Uehara (2-1).
But after Dustin Pedroia flied out to begin the Boston 10th, the Red Sox
connected against Casey Fien (3-4) to complete a three-game sweep. Twins closer
Glen Perkins was unavailable with a sore back. Ortiz hit his drive down the
right-field line and pumped his right fist toward the dugout as he headed toward
first base. Napoli hit his shot into the centre-field bleachers. Three innings
earlier, Ortiz felt like he had a hit taken away when he reached on what was
ruled an error by official scorer Bob Ellis after the ball deflected off first
baseman Joe Mauers glove in the seventh inning. When he walked off the field
following Napolis double-play grounder, Ortiz was glaring and waving his arm up
at the press box. "You hope they have your back at home and it never happens,"
Ortiz said. "Ive been here more than a decade and the scoring, its home, man.
What do you want Mauer to do? He dove for the ball. He knocked it down." "I
always look like Im the bad guy, but they always end up changing it. Its not
that we need to check on Papi. Check on the scorer to see what hes doing wrong,"
he said. Earlier this year, Major League Baseball changed a scorers ruling and
later gave Ortiz a single in a game in which Yu Darvish had a no-hit bid for
Texas. Parmelee also had two singles as Minnesota finished a 3-6 road trip.
"Were glad were going home," Parmelee said. "Its kind of tough end to the long
road trip, but were headed home and were excited tto get back
home.dddddddddddd." Uehara had a scoreless streak snapped at 21 2/3 innings when
Parmelee homered into the Red Sox bullpen over the leap of right fielder
Brock Holt. "Unfortunately, one extra split to Parmelee gives them the upper
hand, but a dramatic finish on our part," Boston manager John Farrell said.
"David comes up big once again." Like the previous two games of the series, both
one-run wins by Boston, neither team had much offence going. The Twins entered
the day with seven combined hits and one run in the first two games and Boston
scored just three total runs. The Red Sox were on the verge of being shut out
until the improbable ending. "Its the worst feeling in the world," Fien said.
"When youve got a pitching staff that threw like that and then they ask me to
come up big and do my part. You come out with the L. Its not a good feeling."
Bostons John Lackey and Minnesotas Kyle Gibson kept up the trend with strong
pitching performances. Lackey gave up three singles over nine innings, striking
out nine and walking one. Hes allowed three or fewer runs in six straight
starts, and 12th of 15 this season. Gibson pitched seven shutout innings for the
third consecutive start, allowing only Navas double, while striking out eight
without walking anyone. Gibson retired the first 14 batters before Nava lined a
double near the base of the right-field wall that bounced in Bostons bullpen for
a ground-rule double. Pedroia had his streak of reaching in every career start
against the Twins snapped at 30 after he went 0 for 4. NOTES: Red Sox starters
held an opponent to three runs or fewer for the 12th consecutive home game. ...
A day after designating him for assignment, the Red Sox released struggling OF
Grady Sizemore from the roster. ... Red Sox pitcher Brandon Workman lost an
appeal of his six-game suspension for throwing near the head of Tampa Bays
Evan Longoria on May 30, and the right-hander began serving it Wednesday. ...
RHP Yohan Pino makes his major league debut, facing Chicagos Jose Quintana (3-7,
3.98 ERA) Thursday as the Twins open a four- game series at home against the
White Sox. ... Jake Peavy (1-4, 4.53 ERA) goes for Boston Thursday against
Oaklands Scott Kazmir (8-2, 2.05) as the Red Sox begin a 10-game road trip.
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