d 31 RBI since the All-Star break.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox:

BOSTON, Massachusetts - There are times over the course of a season when a team needs its ace starter to be a stopper. For the Blue Jays the time was Wednesday and the ace was R.A. Dickey. He stepped up. "I feel some responsibility as a stopper from time to time," said Dickey. "I feel like thats why one of the reasons Alex pursued me and wanted to make the trade because he felt like I could be a guy that could help stop streaks when they werent going in our favour. Its not necessarily extra pressure but you do feel a real responsibility to be your best." Consider the situation: Following a franchise record-tying 11-game win streak the Blue Jays traveled to Tropicana Field, where the worst always seems to happen, and promptly lost the first two games of a three-game set against the division rival Rays. In stepped Dickey for an unusually early 12:10 afternoon start. 93 pitches and only two ground ball singles later, the Jays had won 3-0 and avoided the possibility of a lengthy losing skid. "Thats his job," said veteran Mark DeRosa. "Thats his job. Hes a number one, you know. We fully expected him to go out, maybe not throw a two-hit potential no-hitter the way he was rolling, but I have all the confidence in R.A. He knows, he knows, anybody who reads his post-game comments, this guy is thinking 10 days in advance. He knows what it takes and hes been there before and won a Cy Young." The Jays have won 12 of 15 despite Thursday nights 7-4 loss to the Red Sox. While the club, for the most part, has received excellent starting pitching during the stretch, a clearly defined staff ace has yet to emerge. Dickey is hesitant to discuss Wednesdays outing as a turning point in his season but his personal catcher, Josh Thole, who caught the knuckleballers Cy Young 2012 season with the Mets, suggested it could be. Thole struggled to catch the knuckleball in Wednesdays pregame bullpen session. It was even more difficult in-game. These are good signs. "I mean thats what I remember," said Thole. "What we saw (Wednesday,) is what I remember. Every fifth day it was a challenge to go out there, warm him up, take him into a game. Thats what I remember." "I dont usually say this but you could tell in the bullpen," said pitching coach Pete Walker. "I kind of kept it to myself but I think Pat (Hentgen) knew as well. We were watching him warm up and you could see the action on the ball." As a knuckleballer, Dickey often is left to his own devices. He can confide in Thole and bounce ideas off Walker but because theyve never thrown the pitch, there is a limit to which they can offer advice. As he does with all of his pitchers, Walker studies video of Dickeys work. He keeps a checklist with him, provided by Dickey, which details Dickeys mechanics. If Walker notices anything off kilter, even in the slightest, he provides Dickey with feedback. "There are some things he does like a traditional pitcher," said Walker. "Anytime he gets out of whack his front side will open up a little too soon, hell get underneath the ball a little too much and that ball will tend to stay up in the zone and take off on him. Like a traditional pitcher, when he stays closed long enough and gets his arm through the zone where it should be, you know out in front consistently, he gets the action that hes looking for." Dickey often travels into the clubhouse in-between innings to watch video. "So I can make an in-game adjustment," said Dickey. "But sometimes the differences are microscopic. Its the difference in an inch or two landing or an inch or two in my wrist position. I mean, thats what youre up against when you tackle becoming a knuckleball pitcher because you have to go through some things you dont have to go through as a conventional pitcher. Thats just part of the territory." Dickey spent most of the first two months pitching in pain. He had what can best be described as a strain on the right side of his upper back, pain he first felt in Kansas City in his third start of season. Being a knuckleballer coming off a Cy Young award was both a blessing and a curse. Throwing a knuckleball isnt as strenuous on the body so Dickey was able to pitch through the injury. Having been a conventional pitcher early in his career, Dickey says the pain would have sent the old him to the disabled list. On the flip side, hes struggled to live up to lofty expectations. With an overall record of 7-8, an ERA of 4.72 and 41 walks – an unusually high number based on his standard – Dickey has heard the jeers from frustrated Blue Jays fans and accepts them as a reality of the business hes chosen. He, too, has been frustrated. Now, hes focused on building off Wednesdays start and continuing the correction of the bad mechanical habits he developed because of the pain in his neck. "Sometimes its tough, especially when youre thinking about trying to throw without pain," said Dickey. "When youre trying just to throw a ball and not have pain in your back, you know, youre distracted maybe from being able to be in the moment with your mechanic." Now healthy, Dickey expects to be better in the seasons second half. Recent starts in San Francisco and, of course, Wednesday in Tampa Bay suggest hes on the right track. His next test wont be easy. 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PETERSBURG, Fla. -- To earn his first major league save, Enny Romero emerged from the bullpen with a one-run lead and one job -- set down Boston slugger David Ortiz for the final out.Romero did it, getting Big Papi to look at strike three Thursday to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 2-1 win over the Red Sox for a four-game split.In a one-run ballgame, I figured at some point we would see David Ortiz come to the plate, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.After Tyler Sturdevant struck out Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley Jr. to begin the ninth, Romero was summoned. Romero sent Ortiz to the ground with a high-and-tight 1-2 fastball, then got him on a called third strike.Romero said he threw a cutter to close out the save. The 25-year-old lefty was in his 65th career game over three seasons.A day earlier, the 40-year-old Ortiz reached 30 home runs and 100 RBI. Ortiz was rested for the final day of an 11-game road trip that saw Boston go 7-4.The Red Sox, who began the day tied with Toronto for the AL East lead, lost the final two games of the series.There are times you look back, today being one of them, that you could have capitalized on situations and had a different outcome, Boston manager John Farrell said.Mikie Mahtook ended a stretch of 34 hitless at-bats with a go-ahead double in the seventh off Drew Pomeranz (10-10), who is 2/3 since being traded from San Diego to Boston.It was a relief, Mahtook said.Mookie Betts was thrown out by Mahtook from left field trying to stretch a single into a double in the eighth.Jake Odorizzi (9-5) improved to 6-0 in eiight starts since the All-Star break.dddddddddddd. He gave up one run and five hits in seven innings.Pomeranz struck out a career-high 11 in six-plus innings.After Betts put the Red Sox up 1-0 on a sacrifice fly in the sixth, Odorizzi avoided a big inning by getting an inning-ending double play from Bradley with the bases loaded.Outstanding damage control, Cash said.Tampa Bay tied it at 1 in the bottom of the sixth when Evan Longoria doubled and scored on Brad Millers single. Miller had 31 RBI since the All-Star break.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: LF Andrew Benintendi (left knee sprain) was put on the 15-day disabled list. Farrell is hopeful the rookie will return before the season ends. ... LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (left hamstring) felt fine after a bullpen session and will start Sunday against Kansas City. . RHP Clay Buchholz, who was moved out of the bullpen for three starts due to injuries, will return to a relief role.Rays: INF Tim Beckham (left hamstring tightness) sat out for the second consecutive game.HITLESS WONDERThe Rays record for most consecutive at-bats without a hit is 41, set by Luke Scott in 2012.UP NEXTRed Sox: Knuckleballer Steven Wright (13-5) will be reinstated from the 15-day disabled list after missing 2 1/2 weeks with a strained right shoulder and start Friday night at home against Royals RHP Ian Kennedy (8-9).Rays: LHP Drew Smyly (6-11) will face Astros RHP Mike Fiers (9-6) at Houston on Friday night. ' ' '