Varitek rewards Francona's faith in key spot

By SEAN McADAM Journal Sports Writer SEATTLE - Yesterday afternoon, hours before the Red Sox began their series here with the Mariners, Boston manager Terry Francona restated his support for the slumping Jason Varitek. Francona said he wouldn't pinch-hit for Varitek late in key situations, regardless of Varitek's nose-diving batting average. The Sox captain and No. 1 catcher entered last night with a .214 batting average and had gone more than five weeks since his last home run. Then, as if to validate Francona's abiding faith, Varitek delivered a key two-run homer in the fifth inning last night to help send the Sox to a 4-0 shutout of the Mariners. Varitek's previous homer had come June 11, some 83 at-bats and 24 games ago. The switch-hitting Varitek hit the homer righthanded off Seattle lefty Jarrod Washburn. Of his eight... [read full story]