Bergeron sits out practice

ESPN Boston:   WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron (upper-body injury) was the only player to miss practice Tuesday at Ristuccia Arena, but afterward coach Claude Julien made it clear the team’s assistant captain will be in the lineup for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday at TD Garden. 

Bergeron suffered the injury in Game 5. He played the entire Game 6, but was moved to the wing because he was not 100 percent healthy enough to handle faceoffs. 

“He played last game and he’s playing next game,” Julien said. “I don’t know how much clearer I can get -- he’s playing.”

Jasper's thoughts:   "It is critical to have Bergeron in the lineup for game 7.  It should be a show down in Boston for the game on Wednesday night.

Fenway birthday adds to Red Sox-Yanks rivalry

redsox.com

BOSTON -- It is going to be the type of centennial bash that perhaps only two great rivals can truly appreciate. To play for the Red Sox and the Yankees, you have to know about all the great moments that came before you, both recently and decades ago.

The spectacle will occur on Friday, when fabled Fenway Park celebrates its 100th birthday with a pregame ceremony that should be for the ages, not to mention the first rivalry matchup of 2012.

However, once the field clears and the all-time Red Sox greats move to luxury boxes or the stands, the players on both sides will be focused on important business.

Red Sox option Melancon, promote Tazawa

Mark Melancon

redsox.com:  BOSTON -- When the Red Sox traded for Mark Melancon four months ago, they envisioned him as a possible ace setup man who could even serve as insurance at closer. Perhaps some of that will eventually come true, but the right-hander has hit a crisis point in his first couple of weeks of the season, and was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket before Wednesday night's game against the Rangers.

The Red Sox have summoned Japanese right-hander Junichi Tazawa from Pawtucket to take Melancon's spot on the roster.

Melancon was shelled by the Rangers on Tuesday, giving up four hits, six runs, two walks and three home runs while not retiring a batter.

The righty has pitched in four games and allowed at least one run in each of them, posting an ERA of 49.50 over two innings.

Last year, Melancon pitched in 71 games for the Astros, fashioning a 2.78 ERA while notching 20 saves.

Tazawa underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2010 and pitched most of last season in the Minors.

This year for Pawtucket, Tazawa didn't allow a run in his first four outings, walking two and striking out nine.

Valentine criticizes Youkilis, then apologizes

BOSTON—Kevin Youkilis' teammates came to his defense Monday after Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine questioned his commitment to the game and then apologized to his third baseman.

During an interview aired Sunday night on WHDH-TV, Valentine said he didn't think Youkilis was "as physically or emotionally into the game."

That drew a sharp response from Dustin Pedroia before Monday's 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

"I know he plays as hard as anybody I've ever seen in my life. I have his back and his teammates have his back," the second baseman said.

After the game, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez also supported his teammate.

"All you can do is tell Youk we love him. All it says is we have each others' backs," he said. "We're pulling for each other on the field and in the clubhouse. We've got a strong bond."

On Monday morning, Valentine said he apologized when Youkilis came into his office and asked for an explanation.

"I don't know if he accepted my apology," Valentine said. "It was sincere."

Jasper's thoughts:  "It's not good to have all of these bad feeling in the club house."

Early Setback

ESPN BOSTON -- Jacoby Ellsbury was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday because of a partially dislocated right shoulder, an injury the Boston Red Sox's All-Star center fielder suffered during Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

There was no timetable for how long Ellsbury, the runner-up in MVP voting last year, will be out of the lineup.

Preliminary reports suggested he could miss four to six weeks, but Boston manager Bobby Valentine said Saturday afternoon he wasn't going to speculate about the length of Ellsbury's absence.

Ellsbury placed on DL with subluxed shoulder

redsox.com:  BOSTON -- Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury has a subluxed right shoulder and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, a day after he was hurt making a takeout slide at second base.

Triple-A Pawtucket outfielder Che-Hsuan Lin was recalled in Ellsbury's place, but the plan is for Lin to be only a temporary fix. Cody Ross started in center Saturday afternoon.

No timetable was set for Ellsbury's return, but subluxations -- when the upper arm comes partially out of the shoulder socket beyond what is normal -- can typically take six to eight weeks to return, or more. The team should know more after further evaluations.

Fister headed to DL after left side injury

DETROIT (AP)—Detroit right-hander Doug Fister is heading to the disabled list after he left his first start of the season Saturday with a left side injury.

The Tigers announced after their 10-0 win over Boston that Fister will go on the 15-day DL Sunday, and the team will recall RHP Brayan Villarreal from Triple-A Toledo prior to the game.

The Tigers led 2-0 in the fourth inning Saturday when manager Jim Leyland and trainer Kevin Rand came out to the mound to check on Fister in the middle of an at-bat by Ryan Sweeney. Fister left with a left costochondral strain.

Duane Below came on in relief.

Fister allowed three hits in 3 2-3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Fister went 8-1 down the stretch after being traded to the Tigers from Seattle in a deadline deal last season. He dealt with a sore right middle finger during spring training.

It’s not clear who might take Fister’s place in the rotation. Drew Smyly won a spring training competition to be the fifth starter, beating out Below and a few other pitchers.

Bobby V. relishes being back in dugout

redsox.com: DETROIT -- Bobby Valentine got up early on Thursday morning and rode his bicycle from the team hotel to Comerica Park, where he was getting ready to manage his first regular-season game for the Boston Red Sox.

For Valentine, it marked his first game in a Major League dugout since 2002, the year his Mets' tenure ended.

"To tell you the truth, I had the same feeling that I think most of the guys have," Valentine said. "I talked to a lot of them at the hotel early and saw some of them here now. It's Opening Day. There's only one Opening Day. It's a very special day. Start of something new."

After ninth-inning rally, Sox edged by Tigers

redsox.com:  DETROIT -- The euphoria of a comeback by the Red Sox in the top of the ninth was quickly offset by the unsuccessful closing debut of Alfredo Aceves.

In Chapter 1 of 162, Boston suffered a gutwrenching 3-2 loss to the Tigers on Thursday which culminated with an RBI single by Austin Jackson with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

Jackson stung it down the line in left, out of the reach of diving third baseman Nick Punto.

With Andrew Bailey out for several months following right thumb surgery, Aceves was installed as Boston's closer on Wednesday.

A day later, the experiment opened with heartbreak.

The Tigers started the winning rally on a one-out single by Jhonny Peralta, which came against Mark Melancon. Alex Avila followed with a single to left, and on came Aceves.

After being overpowered by Justin Verlander over eight innings, the Red Sox, down 2-0, dug their way out against Tigers closer Jose Valverde in a stirring ninth-inning rally.

Dustin Pedroia started it with a double to right-center. Adrian Gonzalez lined an opposite-field single to left to put runners at the corners with nobody out. David Ortiz got his team within one on a sacrifice fly to center. Darnell McDonald, on as a pinch-runner for Gonzalez, stole second.

That gave Ryan Sweeney the chance to be a hero in his Red Sox debut, and he pummeled a 2-1 pitch off the wall in right for the game-tying triple.

Lester gave the Red Sox everything they hoped. The lefty went seven strong innings, scattering six hits and just one run. He walked three and struck out four, throwing 107 pitches.