Bostgon beat Baltimore 7-4 Friday in a game stopped in the top of the seventh inning because of rain.

Reliever Manny Delcarmen slipped on the muddy mound in the seventh, prompting a visit from Terry Francona. Delcarmen was lifted but before Craig Breslow could throw a pitch, the umpires called for the tarp

Delcarmen emerged in the locker room with his right knee bandaged. He downplayed it, saying thaty he slipped, which caused tendonitis in knee to "flare up."

"I'll be fine," Delcarmen said.

Offensively, the Red Sox got homers from Manny Ramirez and J.D. Drew, plus two hits and three RBI from Alex Cora.

The Red Sox announced that Matsuzaka will make his next start next Wednesday, March 18 ... if he is here. Red Sox PR chief John Blake threw in that last disclaimer since Dice-K's wife is due to deliever a baby next week.

E-mail this entry to a friend