09:06 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 14, 2006

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS -- On the very same day the Red Sox got a veteran reliever back from the disabled list, they lost another.

Just as Mike Timlin was being activated after more than two weeks on the DL, Keith Foulke was placed on the DL with a sore elbow.

The Sox made the move retroactive to Monday, a day after Foulke last appeared in a game.

Foulke had gone unused for a period of 10 days because of a sore back, though he never went on the disabled list. He pitched Saturday in a loss to Texas, giving up a two-run homer to Hank Blalock in his only inning of work.

He then came back in the second game of Sunday's day-night doubleheader and was hit hard, giving up four runs on seven hits in two innings. After the outing, he told the club of some soreness in his right elbow.

Foulke was scheduled to undergo an MRI in Boston yesterday and was not with the team last night as the Sox opened a six-game road trip.

"I have a feeling (the elbow) has been bothering him off-and-on," said manager Terry Francona. "That's my guess. He tried to pitch through it, and after he was done (Sunday), thought he'd better say something."

To take Foulke's spot on the roster, the Sox recalled Jermaine Van Buren from Pawtucket. This marks Van Buren's third stint with the parent club and second in the last week.

He was optioned back to Pawtucket a week ago when the Sox needed a fresh arm (Craig Hanson ) after getting into their bullpen in the second inning the night before.

In 13 games with Pawtucket, Van Buren had compiled a 2-0 mark with a 1.47 E.R.A. and seven saves. In five appearances with Boston, he was 1-0 with a 6.23 E.R.A.

With Foulke sidelined for the next two weeks, Francona indicated he might use Manny Delcarmen more in late-inning key situations. Delcarmen earned his first major league win Sunday in the first game of the doubleheader with two scoreless innings.

Things fall into place

The Sox' starting rotation got a bit clearer yesterday with the news that Tim Wakefield will pitch the series finale here tomorrow night.

Wakefield has been battling back spasms for the last 10 days and his availability was in question.

After pitching seven innings and getting a no-decision Friday against Texas, Wakefield said yesterday that he had a hard time standing up straight.

During the long rain delay Saturday, Wakefield got treatment from the training staff, including heat and ice, electrical stimulation and muscle relaxants.

Wakefield threw on flat ground for a while Monday and told the club he would be able to make his start as planned tomorrow. The knuckleballer owns a career 6-2, 4.37 E.R.A. in nine starts at the Metrodome.

With Wakefield slotted for the final game here, rookie Jon Lester will make his second start Friday at Turner Field in the series opener with the Atlanta Braves.

A rare sight

Curt Schilling saw his string of starts without issuing a walk come to an end last night -- and it didn't take long.

Schilling, who hadn't walked a batter in the last five outings, covering 34 2/3 innings, walked Twins leadoff hitter Luis Castillo in the bottom of the first.

It was just the 10th walk of the season for Schilling. He came into last night's start with the best walk ratio in the American League (exactly one per nine innings) and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 8.56-to-1.

Around the bases

When Johan Santana fanned David Ortiz to start the fourth, he recorded his 1,000th career strikeout and received a standing ovation from the Metrodome crowd. He became the fifth Twin to reach that milestone, joining Bert Blyleven, Jim Kaat, Brad Radke, Jim Perry and Frank Viola . . . . Shortstop Alex Gonzalez entered last night with an errorless streak of 44 games, the third longest single-season streak for a Red Sox shortstop. Glenn Hoffman went 46 games in 1982, while Vern Stephens had a 45-game streak in 1950. Rico Petrocelli also went 44 games without an error in 1969.

smcadam@projo.com / (401) 277-7340