"Erik Bedard retired seven batters in a row. His control was precise. And Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said his fastball and curve got sharper from the first inning through the fifth.

Bedard also barely pitched in the past month.

So, the newest member of the Sox' starting rotation huddled with manager Terry Francona after the fifth inning last night and agreed that enough was enough. His conservative pitch count having reached 70, in what Francona said amounted to a rehab start, Bedard was done.

Turns out, the Red Sox were done, too.

The Indians battered lefty relievers Franklin Morales and Andrew Miller and emerged with a 7-3 victory and a split of the four-game series at Fenway Park. The Sox fell into a first-place tie with the Yankees, who arrive tonight for a three-game series.

As first impressions go, Bedard left the Sox encouraged. "It's hard after a loss to sit here and say we're excited," Francona said, "but I was actually pretty excited about it.""