Boston Red Sox Deny Drinking Beer In Dugout

The he-said, she-said debate about the Boston Red Sox continued late Tuesday night, when the Red Sox released statements from three controversy-riddled pitchers, former manager Terry Francona and CEO Larry Luchino, all denying a report that the Red Sox drank beer in the dugout during games.

Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey have all been under fierce criticism from the media since the Red Sox season ended in collapse and turmoil. They did not deny drinking beer in the clubhouse, but contradicted a WHDH-TV report saying the beer consumption extended to the dugout.

"I cannot let this allegation go without response; enough is enough," said Beckett. "I admit that I made mistakes along the way this season, but this has gone too far. To say that we drank in the dugout during the game is not true."    

Beckett and Lackey were both making their first public comments since reports that the Red Sox pitchers routinely drank beer at the ballpark. 

"There are things that went on this season that shouldn't have happened, but this latest rumor is not true, and I felt that it was important to try to stop this from going any further," Lackey said.  

Lester earlier admitted to having an occasional beer in the clubhouse, but downplayed the initial reports and said the latest one is simply false. 

"The accusation that we were drinking in the dugout during games is completely false," Lester said on Tuesday night. "Anonymous sources are continuing to provide exaggerated and, in this case, inaccurate information to the media."    

Francona said he has never seen anyone drinking in the clubhouse in 32 years of professional baseball. 

For more Red Sox coverage, visit our team page, our our blog Over the Monster.

Report: Red Sox Pitchers Drank Beer In The Dugout

WHDH-TV in Boston reported Tuesday that two team employees said they had seen the now-infamous trio of Josh Beckett, John Lackey and Jon Lester drinking beer inside the Red Sox dugout on multiple occasions.