FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After starting an hour late because of a threatened boycott, the Boston Red Sox had a disappointing final tuneup before heading to Japan.
Hideki Okajima was charged with all four runs in the eighth inning Wednesday when the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 4-3 in Boston's last spring training game in Florida.
The start was delayed 64 minutes after Red Sox players threatened to boycott the game and the trip to Japan because coaches and other staff were not going to receive a stipend for the trip. Each of the 30 players on Boston and Oakland is guaranteed a stipend of at least $40,000.
Red Sox player representative Kevin Youkilis said an agreement was reached under which coaches and staff would receive a stipend. Third baseman Mike Lowell said it was close to what the players will receive but declined to specify an amount.
Because of the delay, Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was scheduled to start against Toronto, pitched instead in a minor league game against Minnesota's Triple-A Rochester team. He allowed an earned run, three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in six innings. He threw 78 pitches, 50 for strikes.
Jason Varitek, who was supposed to catch Matsuzaka in the Toronto game, instead went with him to the minor league game and hit two homers.
Matsuzaka is scheduled to pitch the season opener next Tuesday in Tokyo against the Athletics. Jon Lester pitches for Boston against Oakland the next day before both teams return to the United States. The Red Sox and Athletics will each play two exhibition games against Japanese teams before their matchups.
David Aardsma started in Matsuzaka's place against Toronto and Boston took a 3-0 lead on Youkilis' three-run homer in the third.
The Blue Jays went ahead in the eighth after Okajima retired the first two batters. Shannon Stewart then doubled, Matt Watson walked and Aaron Mathews hit an RBI single. Marco Scutaro walked, loading the bases.
Minor leaguer Barry Hertzler then replaced Okajima and gave up a three-run double to Chip Cannon.
Notes
The Red Sox assigned RHP Bartolo Colon and two other non-roster invitees, infielders Keith Ginter and Joe Thurston, to minor league camp. ... Two players on Boston's major league roster, RHP Josh Beckett and LHP Craig Breslow, remain in Florida and did not make the trip to Japan. ... RHP Armando Benitez faced live hitters for the first time this spring, throwing 14 pitches in a minor league outing at Dunedin, Fla. "I felt good," he said. Blue Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said Benitez will throw in a minor league game again on Friday. Toronto DH Frank Thomas, who played in a minor league game, said he supported the Red Sox in their decision to boycott. "Major League Baseball is making a lot of money and it is right to compensate the coaches," he said. "They did it before, they should do it now. They have to get paid, too."
