AGAWAM - Franklin Morales made his first visit to Western Massachusetts Monday, looking none the worse for wear. "I think I'll be ready to pitch Tuesday,'' the Red Sox left-hander said, one day after firing 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief at Toronto. With the club having an off day, Morales made a surprise visit to Geissler's Supermarket, where Red...
AGAWAM - Franklin Morales made his first visit to Western Massachusetts Monday, looking none the worse for wear.
"I think I'll be ready to pitch Tuesday,'' the Red Sox left-hander said, one day after firing 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief at Toronto.
With the club having an off day, Morales made a surprise visit to Geissler's Supermarket, where Red Sox fan Allan Brown, Jr., and his wife, Patricia, were the surprise winners of a trip to Newport, R.I.
The prize was given by Hood New England Creamery, with Morales on hand to help make the presentation. Meeting the pitcher was part of the treat.
"He's a good pitcher. He had to take over Sunday,'' Allan Brown said.
Morales' outing in the 5-1 loss at Toronto was the longest by a Red Sox left-handed reliever since 2005, when John Halama went 4 1/3 innings.
When wildness forced Daniel Bard out of the game with a 5-0 deficit in the second inning, manager Bobby Valentine turned to Morales to save the bullpen.
"I didn't know that would happen, but the bullpen has to be ready for any situation,'' Morales said.
"We have to be available. I let (Valentine) know I felt good.''
The extended outing helped the Red Sox avoiding draining their bullpen. Boston opens a three-game series with Baltimore Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
Morales, 26, began the season as the team's only proven left-handed reliever. With Valentine reluctant to use Justin Thomas in key situations, Morales was a workhorse who briefly competed for the role of eighth-inning setup man.
He is now joined by left-handers Rich Hill and Andrew Miller in the bullpen. Valentine sees Morales as a hard thrower who can face righties as well as lefties, a talent that became useful in Sunday's 52-pitch stint.
Morales was a starter for Colorado in 2007 and 2008. That experience helped him Sunday, when he allowed no runs and two hits, with no walks and four strikeouts.
His effort allowed the Red Sox to use only three relievers over 6 1/3 innings. Morales is unlikely to be called upon Tuesday, but says he is ready.
Morales has seen the Red Sox bullpen evolve from a liability into one of baseball's best and deepest.
"Everybody feel like we know what we're expected to do, and everybody has confidence,'' he said.
"We all feel like we're part of one big group, like a family.''