01:00 AM EDT on Monday, April 25, 2005

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Right fielder Trot Nixon didn't mention him by name, but it was clear he was accusing Rays pitcher Dewon Brazelton of sticking a finger in his eye during the bench-clearing incident in the top of the seventh inning yesterday at Tropicana Field yesterday.

Nixon and Brazelton were ejected at that point, along with Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella and pitcher Lance Carter. "A certain person was grabbing at my eye," said Nixon. "That made me furious. I went out towards Carter. I wasn't going to hurt him. And then I felt a certain person put his finger in my eye. That's why I lost it."

Nixon didn't leave the field quietly, which is why he was ejected, said crew chief Rick Reed. The same went for Brazelton.

"They were escalating the situation," Reed said to a pool reporter. "In fact, Nixon was asked a couple of times to leave the area. He continued to make aggressive comments. Brazelton was out of control also."

Brazelton was contrite afterward.

"I'm embarrassed I got thrown out of the game," said Brazleton, a starting pitcher who didn't work in the series. "Normally when you go out there it's a song and a dance, but in this case I was trying to protect our pitcher. Sometimes emotions get the best of you. I'm an educated fellow but that was uneducated. I really have more class than that."

Millar's a target

Kevin Millar 's body is one big bruise.

Prior to yesterday's game, the first baseman had been hit by pitches four times in five games, which is why his calf and left leg were an ugly black and blue, which merely matched similar bruises on his left arm, shoulder and his back.

"They're after me. It must be my power," joked Millar, who still is homerless in 58 at-bats, his longest such drought to begin a season.

"I've gotten smoked. And it's not like (the offending pitches are) coming in at 40 (miles an hour), they're 95. That's the book on me -- hard stuff inside and then soft stuff away. I'm not trying to get hit. I'm just getting drilled. You go through spurts. I got hit (17) times last year. I may not get hit again for another two months."

Yesterday, Millar didn't get hit by a pitch. But he did foul a ball off the top of his left foot, giving him another painful bruise, though it was not serious enough to cause him to go for x-rays.

Mueller improving

Bill Mueller (upper respiratory ailment) was held out of action for the fourth straight game, but he did take batting practice for the first time since playing last Wednesday in Baltimore on the first game of the trip. It's possible the third baseman could be back in the lineup tonight, when the Sox host the Orioles in the opener of a three-game homestand.

Miller derailed

Wade Miller 's third rehab start was rained out in Portland for the second straight day. Because Portland had today off before starting a 10-day road trip, Miller will return to Fenway Park, where he will throw an extended side session today. After the workout, the Sox likely will have a more concrete plan for his next start.

Around the horn

The Sox once again blanked the opposition in the first inning. Boston has yet to allow a first-inning run. The Sox, meanwhile, scored more than one run in the opening inning for the first time this year, notching two runs. . . . Yesterday's attendance of 30,236 swelled the total for the three-game series to 93,986. . . . The runnin' Red Sox took advantage of Hideo Nomo 's slow delivery to the plate. Johnny Damon and Edgar Renteria both stole second base off Nomo. . . . Damon's 4-for-5 day, which included a pair of RBI, boosted his average to .333. . . . Ramon Vazquez, starting at third base in place of Mueller, started three double plays in the three games against Tampa Bay. . . . The Sox turned two double plays in each game of the series, with Mark Bellhorn, the second baseman, showing quick hands and feet in turning four of them. . . . Rays catcher Charles Johnson left the game for a pinch-hitter in the third inning because of soreness in his left shoulder. . . . Manny Ramirez made a nice leaping catch at the wall in left-center, stealing an extra-base hit from Carl Crawford in the fifth. . . . Bellhorn, who set a Sox record for whiffs last year (177) fanned once in each of the games on the trip, boosting his season's total to a league-leading 25 in 62 at-bats. . . . Tonight will be a rematch of last Wednesday night's starters when David Wells opposes Bruce Chen. Wells has thrown 15 consecutive scoreless innings.