Mates Bounce Up To Back Renteria
By Chris Snow, Globe Staff
April 06, 2005
NEW YORK - Matt Clement and many of the Red Sox were quick to
come to the
defense of Edgar Renteria yesterday, following another challenging game
for the
new Sox shortstop.
Renteria went 0 for 4, as he did in the opener, and made a costly
third-inning error, allowing an Alex Rodriguez two-hopper to carom off
the heel
of his glove into the outfield. Rodriguez later scored on Hideki
Matsui's
two-run homer in a three-run Yankee third.
"He doesn't have to say anything," Clement said, when asked
if Renteria
apologized to him. "When I was on the Cubs, that was the one shortstop
I wanted
to play with. He's going to make a lot of plays that will over shadow
that one."
In two games, Renteria is 0 for 8, has struck out twice, grounded
into two
double plays, and gotten the ball out of the infield just once, lining
to center
yesterday in his second at-bat against righthander Carl Pavano.
Renteria hit second Sunday vs. lefty Randy Johnson, then batted
sixth
yesterday. It was expected that he'd hit fifth or sixth vs. righthanded
pitchers, flip-flopping with Kevin Millar. Yesterday, manager Terry
Francona
acknowledged he batted Renteria sixth because "Kevin Millar's been
through the
whole Yankee thing."
Renteria, meanwhile, said the A-Rod grounder bounced up on him.
At the plate,
he said, "The first hit, and everything will come."
Said captain Jason Varitek: "We're not down on him, in any way,
shape, or
form. He's worked his tail off all spring. It wasn't a routine play. It
took a
tough hop.
"He will [adjust]. We're all behind him. Period. As long as he
knows that and
understands it, he'll be fine.
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