01:00 AM EDT on Monday, June 21, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO -- The result -- another loss, his fifth in a row -- was the same. The quality of the outing was much improved.

Bronson Arroyo saw his losing streak stretch to five in a row, but he was often brilliant in the 4-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants yesterday.

Arroyo gave up just three hits in the first six innings. Then a string of events produced a grand slam by Edgardo Alfonzo off Mike Timlin that left Arroyo charged with two runs and the loss. He gave up four hits and two earned runs while walking five and striking out seven. "I thought Bronson pitched his heart out," said Terry Francona. "When he pitches the way he can pitch, he acts like a veteran out there." Arroyo had to get out of a bit of a jam in the first after walking two and yielding a single to Arroyo had to get out of a bit of a jam in the first after walking two and yielding a single to Marquis Grissom to load the bases. But he got A.J. Pierzinski on a grounder to first to leave the bases full. The Giants then managed just two more hits over the next five innings and never got a runner past second base. "For a while," said San Francisco manager Felipe Alou, Arroyo said: "I threw the fastball where I wanted to today. I think that opened up the outside part of the plate for me."

Arroyo has had some of his better outings of the season when pitted against a top pitcher. Twice, in the span of six days, the Sox beat the Yankees when matched against Kevin Brown, allowing four earned runs in 6 1/3 innings at home, then allowing just two earned runs in six innings at Yankee Stadium.

Arroyo has now gone more than a month -- May 15 -- since his last victory.

Long way to first

Arroyo was involved in an unusual play in the sixth.

Hitting with Kevin Youkilis But the San Francisco catcher, "I wasn't even thinking about it until I heard a few guys in the dugout (telling him to run)," he said. "I jogged over there."

Francona tossed

Francona was ejected for arguing a call at third base in the seventh inning.

Second base umpire Sam Holbrook ruled that Michael Tucker had beaten a throw from left fielder Kevin Millar. Francona gestured wildly and was soon tossed, his first ejection as the Sox manager.

Leskanic signing expected

The Sox expect to hear from free-agent pitcher Curtis Leskanic today. He is weighing other options, but is expected to sign with the Sox. Red Sox scout Jerry DiPoto, who was a teammate of Leskanic's in Colorado and remains one of his best friends in the game, has strongly urged the signing.

Ramirez gets a breather

After sitting three regulars from the lineup Saturday, Francona kept Manny Ramirez out yesterday, just the second time Ramirez has not played in a game this season . . . The last time the Sox were shut out was Sept. 17, 2003, by Tampa Bay, a span covering 78 games. The last pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout against the Sox was Oakland's Tim Hudson, who did it on Aug. 11, 2003 . . . After having at least one double in 41 straight games, the Sox have gone without any two-base hits in two of their last three games . . . Schmidt became the first pitcher to throw a one-hit complete game against the Sox since the Yankees Mike Mussina did it on Sept 2, 2001. Mussina was perfect for 8 2/3 innings at Fenway Park before pinch-hitter Carl Everett broke up the bid with a single . . . If an additional 111 fans had filed into SBC Park this weekend, the Giants would have set a record for biggest attendance for a three-game series. The attendance was just shy of the 127,754 drawn for a June 23-25, 2003, series with the Dodgers. . . . The Sox are 6-6 in interleague play with two series left -- this weekend with Philadelphia and July 2-4 against Atlanta.