Baseball

Bosox shock reliever with rapid callup

BOSTON -- For a while, Jason Shiell thought his promotion was a prank.

After the Boston bullpen's latest collapse Tuesday night against Tampa Bay, the Red Sox purchased Shiell's contract from Triple-A Pawtucket. He arrived in Boston in time for Wednesday night's game.

The Red Sox optioned right-hander Bob Howry to Pawtucket late Tuesday night.

Shiell, 26, was out to dinner with his teammates in Ottawa, where the PawSox were playing. When he got the call, he thought one of his teammates was pulling his leg. He was shocked the callup came so early in the season.

"I was pretty surprised," Shiell said. "I was at a steak house ... someone got on the intercom and said you have to call (Pawtucket manager) Buddy Bailey. I thought they might have been kidding."

They weren't, and Shiell got another shot at the majors.

Howry gave up 11 hits and six runs in four games for a 12.46 ERA. Ramiro Mendoza, who blew a 5-1 lead Tuesday before Shea Hillenbrand's winning single in the ninth, has a 16.71 ERA after seven appearances.

"This is a move that we had contemplated for several days," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "It's not a message. It's just a move to get a guy going."

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