Two New Sox make Debut in Boston Win

A couple weeks ago, Paul Byrd was pitching to 13 and under kids for a little league team. Today, he pitched six shutout innings in his first game out of retirement for the Red Sox in their win over Toronto 7-0. "I'm just so excited to be back. I want a World Series ring," he said. "Hopefully I can help this team get there. I'll clean toilets if I have to, and I told them that."

Byrd (1-0), out of baseball after finishing last year with the Red Sox, signed a minor league contract on Aug. 5. He struck out one and walked three.

Also making his Boston debut today was lefty veteran reliever Billy Wagner, pitching one inning of scoreless relief with three strikeouts. Wagner, was acquired in a deal last week with the Mets.

Manny Delcarmen and Takashi Saito rounded out the shutout pitching from the Boston bullpen. Meanwhile, Cy Young candidate Roy Halladay gave up 4 earned runs in 6 innings including a solo homerun from Rhode Island Native Rocco Baldelli his sixth of the year. Halladay has lost his last three decisions.

Byrd was sent up from the minors only a couple days ago in hopes to fill the number five spot in the Sox rotation. A position that has been a merry-go-round of faces in the last couple months.