Notebook | Brandon Morrow out as closer

Manager Don Wakamatsu has confirmed that Brandon Morrow is no longer the closer.

Morrow moves to middle relief until he can find command of his pitches.

David Aardsma will lead a rotation of relievers who will finish games based the situation. Miguel Batista and Mark Lowe are also in the mix.

Morrow blew saves in each of the last two games of the 1-7 road trip.

On Thursday, Texas' Chris Davis hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, after Hank Blalock led off with a solo shot against Morrow, as the Rangers beat the Mariners 3-2. Blalock hit a two-run double off Morrow in the 11th inning Wednesday night, leading Texas to a 6-5 victory.

"Again, obviously the devastation of the last two games," Wakamatsu said, "but what we talked, more importantly, about is that if those two pitches were in a better location and he commands it, it's a different outcome."

Doubles machine

Wladimir Balentien doubled to lead off the fourth inning against Boston. It was the third straight game in which Balentien has doubled and fourth time in his past five contests. He pulled this double to left but has been trying to go the other way.

"When I hit in the cage, me and A.C. [hitting coach Alan Cockrell] have a lot of drills we'll do," he said before the game. "Don told me he doesn't want to see me pull the ball, so I'll be there hitting center to right field."

Notes

• Erik Bedard is officially scratched from tonight's game. Garrett Olson will take his spot, going up against an AL East team just like he did when starting for the Baltimore Orioles. Olson is 0-4 with a 7.76 earned-run average in six outings against the Red Sox.

• Slumping Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has finally been benched. On Thursday, Ortiz went 0 for 7 and stranded 12 base runners — tying a team record — in an extra-inning loss at the Los Angeles Angels. Ortiz is batting .208 without a home run.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the record

Streak: W1

Home: 8-7

Road: 9-12

vs. AL West: 9-8

vs. L.A.: 4-2

vs. Oakland: 5-1

vs. Texas: 0-5

vs. AL East: 3-1

vs. AL Cent.: 5-10

vs. NL: 0-0

vs. LHP: 8-3

vs. RHP: 9-16

Day: 7-7

Night: 10-12

One-run: 8-7

Extra inn.: 2-2

Home attendance

Friday's crowd: 34,952

Season total: 356,377

Biggest crowd: 45,958 (April 14)

Smallest crowd: 16,421 (May 4)

Average (15 dates): 26,088

2008 average (15 dates): 26,692