01:00 AM EDT on Friday, June 16, 2006

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the first 2 1/2 months of the season, the Red Sox did without a lefty reliever in the late innings. Now that they have one, they have to see if he's capable of doing the job.

The Sox yesterday acquired Javier Lopez from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for righty David Riske. Lopez is joining the Sox for a second time -- they selected him in the Rule V Draft after the 2002 season and brought him to spring training in 2003 before dealing him to Colorado.

Lopez pitched at Triple-A Charlotte this season, where he was used as the closer, compiling a 2-1 record with 12 saves and a 0.55 E.R.A. in 26 appearances.

"We were trying to acquire Lopez and we sent a scout to watch him and got an excellent scouting report," said GM Theo Epstein in a conference call with reporters. "We had a bit of redundancy with right-handed relievers and (Riske) was relatively expendable."

Lopez will be used mostly as a lefty specialist, a role filled by Mike Myers the last two seasons. The team's bullpen, beyond closer Jonathan Papelbon and setup man Mike Timlin, has been suspect for most of the season.

"We've got our work cut out for us to turn things around in the pen," acknowledged Epstein. "We really need someone to assert themselves and provide more depth for Tito [manager Terry Francona] in the bullpen."

Lopez, 28, pitched for Colorado and Arizona before signing with the White Sox last winter.

"He really started putting things together last year," said Epstein. "His stuff was significantly better. His velocity had been in the low 80s, and now he averages about 88 mph (with his fastball) with [excellent] sink, and he has an above-average slider."

Pitching with a submarine delivery, Epstein said Lopez "is a very uncomfortable at-bat for left-handed hitters. I'm sure Tito will use him primarily to get good left-handed hitters out. But he's not a guy you have to yank out of there after a third of an inning."

"More often than not," said Francona, "we'll use him to get lefties out. I don't know him, and how he's used depends on how he pitches. But he does give us an option we haven't had. I'm excited. I know he's been at Triple A, but he makes our bullpen better."

Lopez arrived at the Metrodome 20 minutes before game time and got into the game in the eighth. He walked lefty Justin Morneau, surrendered a single to right to Torii Hunter, which scored Michael Cuddyer with the run charged to Julian Tavarez, then got out of the inning when he got Jason Kubel on a double play.

Riske, who was part of a six-player December deal that landed Coco Crisp in Boston, never seemed to gain Francona's confidence. He missed more than a month because of a lower back strain, but in 32 days on the active roster he had pitched just 9 1/3 innings.

Nine draftees sign

The Sox announced the signings of nine players from last week's amateur draft.

Agreeing to terms were: Third baseman Zach Daeges (Creighton; sixth round), outfielder Rafael Cabreja (eighth round), third baseman Jorge Jimenez (15th round), outfielder Paul Smyth (23rd round), right-hander Ryne Lawson (30th round), second baseman Michael Chambers (32nd round), right-hander Thomas Beazley (38th round), outfielder Jeff Vincent (43rd round) and right-hander Josh Papelbon (48th round).

Papelbon, of course, is the younger brother of Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.

All except Cabreja were assigned to Lowell of the New York-Penn League. Cabreja, a high schooler from the Bronx, will report to the team's Gulf Coast League affiliate in Fort Myers, Fla.

Around the bases

Jon Lester, who makes his second major-league start tonight, flew to Atlanta yesterday afternoon with Josh Beckett, who will start tomorrow. . . . Mark Loretta got last night off, with Alex Cora (three hits, on base four times, two runs scored) playing second and hitting in Lorett'a customary No. 2 spot in tbe batting order. . . . Francona said he was unsure about his plans for David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell for the interleague series in Atlanta, which deprives the Sox of the DH. Ortiz will play first base tonight, then probably be given tomorrow off with Youkilis at first. . . . Lowell had his seventh three-hit game of the season. . . . Tim Wakefield's loss was his first to the Twins since April 26, 1999.

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

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JAVIER LOPEZ

Position: Relief pitcher. Height: 6-foot-4. Weight: 200. Throws: Left. Born: July 11, 1977. Major-league experience: Colorado (2003-2005), Arizona (2005).

G IP H R ER HR BB SO W L Sv ERA

Career 171 115 1/3 129 79 78 8 49 72 6 4 3 6.09