Here is some clubhouse reaction after the Red Sox’ 8-2 win over Oakland, Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Most of the talk centered around Tim Wakefield’s performance, which saw the 42-year-old take a no-hitter into the eighth inning. It was broken up with one out in the eighth when Kurt Suzuki lined a 0-1 knuckleball into left field.

Also of note regarding Wakefield’s performance was that it marked his 31st complete game of his career, and his first win in Oakland since Sept. 7, 1999, a span of eight games in which he compiled a 1-3 mark with a 4.89 ERA. Wakefield finished throwing 111 pitches, 76 for strikes. 

TERRY FRANCONA

“We needed exactly what he gave us. He poked his head in my office earlier today, in one of the moments when the door wasn’t shut, and kind of just said in passing, ‘I understand my responsibilities’, and he didn’t say it flippantly. I think after five innings he was at 39 (pitches). That’s some kind of attacking the strike zone and getting results. I’m stating the obvious by saying we desperately needed that outing from him. It was welcome. He did a great job.”

“It was a long lay-off, but we’ll take it. It was 2-0 and he was pitching so well, but you want to spread it out just to stay away from a mistake. He would probably say the same thing.”

“When we spread the game then it can become a little more personal. You never lose sight that you’re trying to win a game, but when you score some runs it all of a sudden allows you to play behind a runner in a situation where normally you wouldn’t, some things like that. He left one up and it got hit, but it didn’t take away for the way he pitched.”

(Taking him out in the ninth was never a decision) “He was fine.”

“He knew we’re banged up and it hasn’t been the funnest trip we’ve ever been on. But going home with a win is better than going home with a loss. Kind of regroup a little bit, get our house in order and see if we can’t play a little better baseball.”

“Nick Green made a couple of really good plays. Mikey Lowell hits a change-up out out for two runs. Because of the way Wake was pitching it allowed us some time to generate some offense because their guy (Sean Marshall) is really good, I can see why they like him. Slider, fastball, he was going through us pretty good.”

“The more experience George gets in any capacity, whether it’s hitting the ball off the wall, or being a part of a big win, sure, I think it all helps.”

Nick Green on his seventh inning catch of a Jack Cust liner into shallow left-center field that saved Wakefield’s no-hitter

“I went to my left first, and then he inside-outed it so I turned, looked and thought, ‘Gosh, whatever I do I have to catch it.”

“I’ve had that feeling where you have to make the play, although I don’t know if it was a no-hitter. You have to make the play because this was a no-hitter. You just have to make the play.”

“I thought I was just going to run and catch it, but then it kind of faded.”

TIM WAKEFIELD

“After last night’s game I knew I needed to go deep. I got some great help from my defense today, Green at short, (Jacoby) Ellsbury in center. It really allowed me to take the no-hitter into the eighth.”

“I kind of eased into it. They were really aggressive early, but then something clicked in the second or third inning where I really felt like I could keep going.”

“I’m not disappointed. Obviously it’s something that’s great to try and get, but the biggest thing today is trying to preserve the bullpen going into tomorrow. Hopefully we can get a streak going.”

(On 25-minute eighth inning) “No, it didn’t bother me.”

“I had a pretty good feel for (the knuckleball) my first start of the season, I just couldn’t throw it for strikes. Today I was able to pound the strike zone.”

“I did stop in (Francona’s) office and I told him, ‘Listen, I understand the circumstances of the day and just want you to know whatever happens don’t take me off, just let me keep going’.”

GEORGE KOTTARAS

“His stuff was moving all over the place. He was very efficient early, and getting hitters to put the ball in play early. It was right off in the bullpen, he was around the zone, and the ball was moving left and right, and up and down. It was great.’

(Never caught a no-hitter) “I’ve come close a couple of times, but nothing as significant as that. It was great to be back there for him.”

(Threw five fastballs, no curveballs)

(Could you tell Suzuki was going to hit the eighth-inning pitch like that when it was coming in) “Yes and no. You can kind of see the ball is staying up a little bit, but there were a lot of other times where the ball stayed up and got pop-ups. Those few stayed up and they capitalized, but Wake pitched great.”

JASON BAY

“The funny thing was that we were talking afterward and the sun was right there for a lot of the game. If the ball got in the sun I was thinking I just had to let it hit me. I’ve got to do something to make it an error. Usually it takes two or three innings in each field, but we were going so fast it wasn’t moving.”