Well, how about both?
That's what the Red Sox got Wednesday night in New York, where the two right-handers once in the mix for Daisuke Matsuzaka's vacated rotation spot teamed to help Boston to an 11-6 win over the Yankees.
Wakefield went the first 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits and three walks. It was not the prettiest of lines, but on a simmering night in Yankee Stadium, it was more than enough. It also kept the 44-year-old rising up the charts. The win was the 196th of his career and his 182nd with the Red Sox, 10 shy of the mark held by Roger Clemens and Cy Young.
The milestones are down the road. Wakefield was just happy to be part of a nice collaboration Wednesday night.
"I feel like I'm doing my job as a starter," he said. "I'm giving us innings and doing what I can to help us win."
Wakefield added that he would've loved to have given more, but he got to witness a masterful escape by Aceves in what went down as the key moment in the game.
After Wakefield was taken out with two on and one out in the sixth and the Red Sox leading 8-4, Aceves came on and immediately gave up consecutive singles, the second of which scored a run to make it 8-5.
Aceves then went to a 3-1 count on Derek Jeter with one of the pitches going all the way to the backstop. Yankee Stadium was as loud as it had been all series with the captain in a great position to alter the series. In a flash, the ballpark was silent. Aceves got Jeter to hit into a tailor-made 5-4-3 double play, ending New York's last serious threat.
Aceves then got the last nine outs to help spare the bullpen on a night when Terry Francona wanted to stay away from both Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon.
"It's so valuable," Francona said of a pitcher like Aceves who can perform in multiple roles."He can start a game, too. He can change speeds, he can throw three pitches, he can get left-handers out. It's terrific.
"We didn't want to go to Bard, and [Aceves] finishes the game. Certainly spreading it out [with three runs in the top of the ninth] helps, but there's no reason to take him out."
From the date of Matsuzaka's last appearance on May 16, Wakefield has gone 3-0 with a 4.32 ERA in four starts and Aceves is 3-1 with a 3.71 mark in three starts and three relief appearances. Wednesday's effort earned him his third career save.
"It stresses the importance of our pitching depth," Wakefield said. "Having him there to come in and get us out of that one inning and finishing the game for us. It was a matter of insurance with the offense, but we played really good as a team today."
Wakefield was talking about the Red Sox, but he could've easily been referencing himself and Aceves, once "competitors," and now partners.
