Sat Apr 12 21:26:36 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Ramirez helps Red Sox edge Yanks in rain-delayed contest

---

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Manny Ramirez homered, doubled, drove in three runs and scored twice as the Boston Red Sox survived a two hour, 11 minute rain delay in the eighth inning to edge the New York Yankees, 4-3, at Fenway Park.

Kevin Youkilis went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Red Sox, who have split the first two games of the three-game set with New York. Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia each collected a pair of hits and scored a run.

Josh Beckett (1-1) allowed just one hit through the first five innings, and held on to earn his first win of 2008 after allowing three runs on five hits over 6 2/3 frames, striking out five. Jonathan Papelbon struck out three in relief to earn a four-out save.

Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Yankees, who managed just six hits and struck out nine times. Melky Cabrera drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, while Mike Mussina (1-2) took the loss after being tagged for four runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

With Boston down 2-1, Ellsbury slapped a one-out single to left in the bottom of the sixth, then Pedroia doubled off the wall down the line in left to send Ellsbury to third. David Ortiz struck out swinging for the second out, but the Yankees opted not to walk Ramirez with first base open. Ramirez responded by drilling Mussina's first pitch into the gap in right for a two-run double to put the Sox on top.

Brian Bruney came in to relieve Mussina, but Youkilis slapped an RBI single up the middle to give Boston a 4-2 lead before J.D. Drew popped out to end the inning.

The Yankees clawed to within one, manufacturing a two-out run in the seventh. Jorge Posada singled with two outs, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then scored when Cano sliced a double off the Green Monster to put an end to Beckett's outing.

Manny Delcarmen got the call from the bullpen, and fanned Jose Molina to end the threat.

Hideki Okajima was backed up by stellar defensive plays from Julio Lugo and Drew to get the first two outs in the eighth, but after a walk to Cabrera and a single by Bobby Abreu, Okajima was lifted for Papelbon. Before Papelbon could throw his first pitch to Alex Rodriguez, the rain started coming down and the game was delayed.

After the long wait, Papelbon struck out Rodriguez on three pitches to preserve the Boston lead.

Papelbon retired the Yankees in order in the ninth, striking out Giambi and Posada before getting Cano to ground out to second to end the game.

After pitching dominated the early innings, Ramirez gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when he crushed a two-out home run off a billboard on top of the left-field wall.

The Yankees finally put pressure on Beckett in the top of the sixth. Molina and Alberto Gonzalez led off the inning with singles, then Johnny Damon laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Cabrera's line drive to deep center was snagged by Ellsbury, but Molina scored easily and Gonzalez advanced to third.

With Abreu at the plate, Beckett's curveball bounced away from Jason Varitek and Gonzalez came in to score, giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead.

Game Notes

Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-0) takes the hill for Boston in Sunday's series finale, while Phil Hughes (1-0) gets the call for the Yankees...Ramirez's home run was the 53rd of his career against the Yankees, tied with Hank Greenberg for third-most against the Bronx Bombers...Ortiz went 0-for-4, and is now an abysmal 3-for-43 at the plate to start the season.