After a change of plans and a quick trip to Fenway Park, it figured to be an easy night. Cover Charlie Zink's major league debut.

Then there was the Paul Byrd trade.

Then Zink threw 85 pitches ... and the Boston relievers threw a combined 102!

A 10-0 lead ... a 16-14 deficit ... a 19-17 win.

A not-so-quick trip back from Fenway (in bed at 4:30 a.m.)

Some thoughts on the night:

The acquisition of Byrd was brilliant. With Tim Wakefield shelved with a cranky shoulder (sounds like the same problem that kept him out of the '07 World Series), Boston needed a realiable fourth starter. It was too much to ask Clay Buchholz to pick up the slack.

Theo Epstein: "By no means are we giving up on Clay Buchholz." He said that a couple of times during his press conference.

With The Manny gone, how is this "clean-up hitter by committee" working? Walk Ortiz to get to Youkilis, who hits the game-winning three-run homer.

Jacoby Ellsbury changes a game with his speed. Scratched Tuesday with a sore tailbone, Ellsbury pinch-hit in the eighth, walked and scored from first on a double to left.

Yes, the bullpen exploded. But did you notice the effort of Hideki Okajima (1 2/3 IP, 1 BB, 1 K)? ... With so much talk that Okajima is not the same pitcher as last year, he has allowed 4 hits and 1 run since June.

Charlie Zink proved a reminder that this is a kid's game. He gave up 8 runs and could not have been more excited after the game. How many pitchers get to realize their dream and pitch in the majors? Zink seemed to grasp the accomplishment, calling it his "best memory" ....Outside the clubhouse, family and friends waited for him, some in clever "Think Zink" T-shirts.

And now for the minors:

Pawtucket was in a bizarre game, losing 8-6 in 11 innings (both teams scored four runs in the 10th) ... Dusty Brown (.282) went 2-for-4, Jeff Corsaletti (.180) 2-for-5 ... Devern Hansack (4.06) pitched 5 2/3 innings (4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K), Hansack has a 2.74 ERA in his last 10 games. Wish he could get a shot at bullpen work.

In Portland, the Sea Dogs scored two in the ninth (Josh Reddick RBI double, Iggy Suarez game-winning sigle) to beat Altoona 4-3 ... Starter Adam Mills (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K) was sharp ... Lars Anderson (.315) hit his fourth home run in 23 games ... Zach Daeges (.314) went 2-for-3.

Skipping down to Greenville, we find 19-year-old outfielder David Mailman. A seventh-round draft pick out of high school last year (with a $550,000 signing bonus), Mailman is being challenged with an assignment to low Class A. He's hitting .251. But he's hitting .354 in August (4-for-5 Tuesday) and has doubled his home run production with 3 this month.

Sandwich-round pick Bryan Price (1.40) of Rice keeps firing for Lowell. He threw 5 innings (1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K).

In the Gulf Coast League, two infielders out of high school keep plugging away. Second-round pick Derrick Gibson ($600,000 signing bonus) went 2-for-4 and is hitting. 311. Casey Kelly ($3-million) went 0-for-4 and is at .169 ... The GCL is a small sample, but will it convince Kelly his future is as a pitcher (where the Red Sox want him)?

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