Tim Wakefield spoke to the media after earning the win in a game that snapped Pawtucket’s losing streak at 10 games. Wakefield threw 81 pitches (56) strikes, over five and two-thirds innings. The lone blemish in his start was a second-inning solo shot allowed to Rochester DH Justin Huber. Wakefield allowed only one other hit, walked one, hit a batter, and struck out four.

On what lies ahead:

I’ll have to consult with Tito and John Farrell tomorrow and see what happens.I think they know that that’s my case [to return to Boston without any futher rehab].

On coming back to a team that is preforming dramatically worse than it was when he last pitched:

Hopefully I can pick up where I left off. I’m not going to add any more pressure to myself, but I want to make sure that I’m capable of doing that and getting into the sixth inning. I felt like I could have gone seven [tonight], but doing that here tonight proved to me that my stamina’s back and I’m ready to go. I felt great physically. Compared to last week, I think my strength has increased a tremendous amount from last week to tonight. I was able to still throw some more pitches, to cover first base. There’s still a little limp there, but nothing’s really bothering me to pitch.

On his control:

I did [have control over everything]. One thing I’ve really been working on is, wehen you don’t throw for a couple of weeks, the feel kind of leaves, and I was able to throw a couple of sides in between then and now and I feel very comfortable that I can pitch in the big leagues again.

On not covering first in time on the play in which Bates bobbled a grounder:

I just think it’s the way my leg is feeling right now. I kind of slowed up a little bit because I didn’t think there was going to be a play, and then there ended up being one and he ended up beating me to the bag, but I think I proved to myself that I can field my position prettty well, and again, physically I feel great.

On whether he was following the Sox/Yankees in between innings:

No, I was concentrating on what I had to do tonight, and obviously after [my start] I’ve been seeing what’s going on, and hopefully I can get back and help them win some games.

On playing against Stan Cliburn, current Rochester Red Wings manager and former manager of Wakefield while he still played first base in 1988:

It was pretty cool. I got to say hello to him today. I went over there to his office and sat down and talked to him for a while. I see him every spring training, and it’s nice to reminisce of twenty-something years ago when he was managing me in Watertown, New York.

On embracing the rehab stint:

I embrace it as much as I can, but I know it’s serious work. I’m not down here just goofing off and stuff. It’s very serious, it’s my job and I take it very seriously to try to get better and try to get back up to Boston and help them win.

On the embarrassing swing by Steven Tolleson that resulted in the game’s first strikeout:

Obviously that’s a good barometer, whether or not guys are making pretty decent contact. The only decent contact, obviously, was the homer, and it was just a misfire on my part, but after that I was able to settle in and continue to pitch.
On being locked in early on:

Yeah, I felt good, warming up to the bullpen it was just a matter of getting a little bit of a jitter out of me and getting settled in.