Red Sox score two in 12th on Lowell's hit for rare road win

SEATTLE (AP) -- Can't win on the road. Top sluggers are out. Soaring Yankees are next.

Come visit Seattle, everyone's cure-all.

Mike Lowell hit a two-run single off Sean Green in the 12th inning, and the Red Sox took advantage of two outfield errors to beat the sunken Mariners 6-3 on Wednesday and complete Boston's first series sweep at Seattle in 15 years.

The Red Sox entered the series having lost eight of 11 on the road, leaving manager Terry Francona to say he was perplexed. They flew home for the latest showdown with New York after their first three-game sweep on the road this season.

Even without David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, who rested Wednesday with a sore knee, Boston stayed a half-game behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

"Since I've been with the Red Sox, we don't play well in Seattle. So this was a big series for us," Lowell said.

Asked if he thinks the Red Sox have successfully weathered their road woes and the loss of Ortiz, due back Friday after being out since injuring his wrist May 30, Lowell said: "I think we've done that ... but you've got to do that. No one else is going to feel sorry for you."

Save the pity for the Mariners.

Raul Ibanez and Jose Vidro hit home runs in the fifth consecutive loss for the AL's worst team. Seattle expected to be in the postseason but dropped a season-low 25 games under .500, and is in clearance-sale mode for the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline. Ibanez and Vidro are top candidates to go.

"No matter how many times you get hit between the eyes, you have to get back up and get after it," said Ibanez.

Jacoby Ellsbury began the 12th with his fourth hit in 34 at-bats, a single off Green (2-3). A hit-and-run groundout by Dustin Pedroia got Ellsbury to second before Green intentionally walked J.D. Drew.

Kevin Youkilis then hit a liner that center fielder Willie Bloomquist sprinted deep for but had clang off the inside of his glove.

"I just flat-out missed it. I can't sit here and make excuses," said Bloomquist, whom manager Jim Riggleman had moved from shortstop to center field in the ninth inning to get Yuniesky Betancourt into the game.

The error loaded the bases, and Lowell unloaded them with his second hit of the game. Sean Casey, the designated hitter for Ramirez, singled home Youkilis to make it 6-3.

Jonathan Papelbon (4-3), pitching a third consecutive day, created a jam in the 11th by flubbing a pickup of Vidro's leadoff squibber down the first-base line for a generously scored infield single.

"That was terrible," Lowell joked. "I don't know if he kicked it, spat on it or what."

One out later, Vidro went to third on a single with two strikes by Betancourt, but Papelbon got fading Kenji Johjima to ground into a double play to end that threat. Johjima was playing only because rookie catcher Jeff Clement is likely out until Saturday with a torn nail on the thumb of his throwing hand.

Craig Hansen allowed Seattle to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 12th but retired Vidro on a ground out for his second save in four chances.

"That wasn't pretty, but we'll take it," Francona said.

Boston could have ended it far earlier.

It had the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth against Felix Hernandez before Seattle's 22-year-old ace struck out Jed Lawrie and Jason Varitek. But Hernandez then walked Coco Crisp, the No. 9 hitter, on four pitches to force in Youkilis and give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead.

Hernandez yelled at himself and slapped at the ball with his glove after his season high-tying fifth walk, then stomped angrily off the field when Ellsbury fouled out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Clay Buchholz gave up a leadoff single to Jose Lopez and one out later fell behind Vidro 2-0. The weakest-hitting designated hitter in the league this season, batting .223 entering Wednesday, drove the next pitch over the railing of the right-field wall to tie the game. Hernandez rose from his seat in the dugout and exhorted the ball out with both arms extended, then celebrated avoiding his seventh loss in 14 decisions.

Buchholz allowed seven hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. He hasn't won since May 2.

Hernandez allowed six hits and two earned runs in six innings. He struck out six in his third start since returning from being on the disabled list for a sprained left ankle.

The game was scoreless in the third when Ichiro Suzuki sprinted with his back to the plate and leaped above the right-field wall to take a three-run homer away from Drew.

A few pitches later, Seattle's perennial Gold Glove outfielder kicked Youkilis' RBI single into the corner. His second error of the season scored Pedroia behind Crisp to make it 2-0.

Game notes
Boston's last sweep at Seattle was July 2-4, 1993. ... Hernandez has allowed three earned runs or less in eight consecutive starts. His ERA is 2.95, on pace to finish with the third-lowest in Mariners' history, and lowest since Randy Johnson's team-record 2.30 in 1997.