01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, April 26, 2005

BY KEVIN McNAMARA and PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writers

BOSTON -- The weather gods have given the Pawtucket Red Sox an unexpected gift this week.

Some shaky weather in Portland, Maine, over the weekend has helped push pitcher Wade Miller 's latest stop on the rehab trail to Pawtucket on Thursday. Miller was washed out of scheduled starts in Portland on Saturday and Sunday, and with the Sea Dogs hitting the road, the Red Sox have decided to pitch their right-hander in Triple A. Miller said he would be looking to reach a 90-pitch limit.

"I think 90 pitches is a pretty good test at this point," Miller said. "Hopefully I can get through that. We're moving ahead."

Miller, who came to Boston as a free agent from the Houston Astros, is making quick gains strengthening his pitching shoulder. Yesterday at Fenway, Miller threw an extended side session in preparation for Thursday's outing at McCoy Stadium against Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

Manager Terry Francona said no one should read anything into the fact that Miller's jump to Triple A-level foes puts him one or two starts away from a return to Boston.

"After it rained two days in a row, this looked like the most convenient, best thing to do," said Francona. "When he's ready there's no question he'll be able to help us. We just need to get him ready to do that."

Costly game

The Sox lost two pitchers, starter David Wells and reliever Matt Mantei, to injuries, although neither appears to be serious. Wells suffered a sprained right foot and Mantei a sprained right ankle, both as they moved around after balls hit by Javy Lopez. Wells actually left because he was pitching ineffectively. Boston was trailing, 3-1, when Lopez hit a dribbler up the third-base line leading off the fourth. Wells moved toward it for a couple steps before pulling up as Lopez beat it out for a single.

Wells stayed in and was ripped for a home run by the next hitter, B.J. Surhoff. He faced four more hitters before being removed.

Mantei, Boston's third pitcher of the night, was hurt in the seventh. This time, Lopez ripped a long drive to center that hit at the base of the bleacher wall. As Johnny Damon chased the ball down, Mantei ran to back up third for a possible throw to that base. Just as he was coming to a stop between the coaches' box and the dugout, he turned his ankle and immediately doubled over in pain.

Both Francona and Mantei said after the game that Mantei was not seriously hurt.

"We took him out as a precaution," Francona said. "If that game was tied, we probably would have left Matt in. We were down by four. This is a guy that's had some (inury) history. If he lands funny on that and hurts his shoulder, we're going to be kicking ourselves."

"It gradually started going away," Mantei said. "I could have stayed in there if I had to."

"It was just a hole in the grass. I'm going to see what it is tomorrow and stamp on it," he said.

Let's wait and see

Francona said he hasn't talked with anyone from Major League Baseball, and didn't expect to, at this early stage of an investigation into Sunday's game against the Devil Rays.

The Red Sox are clearly expecting some type of disciplinary action, if only because two teams usually share in any fines or suspensions when multiple knockdown pitches are thrown.

Yesterday, the Sox players didn't want to address the issue any longer, with the exception of Kevin Millar , who said, "it's not a big deal. We're ready for Baltimore now. It was a little more blown up (than usual) other than the ball getting thrown at (David) Ortiz 's head."

Mueller in limbo

Bill Mueller was not a happy camper last night.

For the fifth straight game, and sixth time in the last seven, the Sox third baseman was not in the starting lineup. He remains ill, although he is reluctant to discuss exactly what the problem is.

"I read something that said I had a sinus infection, which is completely wrong," Mueller said. "It could be called the flu. It could be called a virus. It could be called a cold. Title it whatever you want, I'm sick. It's frustrating. I'm very frustrated with it."

This time was difficult to deal with because Mueller had hoped to be able to return. His name was in the original starting lineup.

"I went in about a half-hour ago (3:30) and he was on the fence," Francona said. "I said, 'I'll tell you what, I'll put you in, then I can take you out (if needed). Out of respect to the Orioles, I wanted to send (the lineup) over." But no sooner had Francona posted the lineup than Mueller returned and told him he simply could not go.

He apparently felt well enough, however, to come in as a pinch-hitter for Ramon Vazquez in the ninth inning last night, and struck out.