Manny Ramirez hit two home runs, including the 495th of his career, to help the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 7-5 on Thursday and split their two-game midweek series.
Ramirez’s solo homer in the second inning and a two-run shot in the third marked the 10th consecutive season he has homered in Yankee Stadium.
“When he gets hot, there’s no way to get him out,” the Yankees’ Derek Jeter told reporters after Ramirez, a New York native, moved to 24th on baseball’s all-time home run list.
Both blasts came off Yankees’ losing pitcher Mike Mussina (1-3), who has given up three home runs to Ramirez this season.
Not even a 156kph fastball behind Ramirez’s head in the seventh inning could rattle the Boston slugger, who was 3-for-5 with three runs batted in.
“I guess they wanted to send a message,” Ramirez told reporters.
amirez’s two home runs took Boston to a 4-0 lead, and the Red Sox increased it to 7-0 before the Yankees rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the ninth.
Josh Beckett (2-1) held the Yankees to three runs and six hits over eight innings. He struck out five.
Jeter hit a two-run single off Beckett in the fifth and Bobby Abreu followed with a run-scoring double.
Jonathan Papelbon relieved Beckett in the ninth, giving up two runs, one on a solo homer by Melky Cabrera.
The Red Sox beat Mussina for the second time in five days. He lasted only three innings, giving up seven hits and five runs.
Indians 11, Tigers 1
At Cleveland, Fausto Carmona allowed a run in six-and-two-third innings and Ryan Garko and Travis Hafner hit two-run homers as the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers.
The loss snapped the Tigers’ season-high three-game winning streak.
IN OTHER GAMES IT WAS:
Mariners 8, Athletics 1
Orioles 6, White Sox 5, 10 innings
Rangers 4, Blue Jays 1
Angels 5, Royals 3
Rays 7, Twins 3
AP, CHICAGO
Ken Griffey Jr hit his 596th homer, and Joey Votto doubled with the bases loaded, homered and drove in five runs to lead Cincinnati over the Chicago Cubs 9-2 on Thursday and end the Reds’ five-game losing streak.
With the wind blowing in at Wrigley for the first time in the three-game series, Votto delivered the key hits and the Reds’ Dusty Baker beat the team he managed from 2003-2006. The Cubs won the first two games 9-5 and 12-3.
PHILLIES 10, ASTROS 2
At Philadelphia, Brett Myers (2-1) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings, and Chris Coste tied a career high with four hits as Philadelphia trounced Houston.
In other games it was:
Brewers 5, Cardinals 3
Braves 8, Marlins 0
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