Red Sox's Bay to become US citizen

BOSTON (AP) - Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay has long played America's pastime and will now be able to call himself an American.

The 30-year-old player from Canada becomes a U.S. citizen Thursday afternoon in a ceremony at Boston's historic Faneuil Hall.

Bay is from British Columbia and is the first Red Sox player to be naturalized since Dominican-born David Ortiz was sworn in last summer in Fenway Park.

Bay is batting .262 this year and finished last season with 31 homers. He came to Boston from the Pittsburgh Pirates last season as part a three-team trade that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bay was the 2004 National League Rookie of the Year with the Pirates.