Ramirez, Lowell go deep as BoSox beat ChiSox

Jul 22, 2007, 22:05 GMT

Boston, MA - Manny Ramirez hit a three-run home run and drove in four, while Mike Lowell also hit a three-run bomb as Boston topped Chicago, 8-5, in the finale of a four-game set from Fenway Park.

Kevin Youkilis drove in the other run for the Red Sox, who won the final three games of the series. Coco Crisp added three hits and Ramirez scored two runs. Tim Wakefield (11-9) earned the win despite being charged with six hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings.

David Ortiz was not in the lineup for the second straight game after suffering a left shoulder strain on Friday. An MRI taken Saturday revealed no structural damage, and he is listed as day-to-day. Ramirez was the designated hitter and Youkilis played first base.

Chicago starter Jon Garland (7-7) was charged with six runs and six hits over 4 2/3 innings, fanning three but walking five in the loss, snapping a personal three-game win streak on the road for the crafty right-hander.

Josh Fields went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored for the White Sox, who have lost three straight and four of six. Juan Uribe had three hits, while Rob Mackowiak, Alex Cintron and Jim Thome knocked in a run apiece.

Chicago put together a rally in the seventh, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring four times. Pierzynski singled and Dye doubled to start the frame. Mackowiak followed with a sacrifice fly and Fields singled which made it 8-3.

Wakefield exited for Manny Delcarmen, but Uribe singled to load the bases and Cintron's base hit brought in another run and moved the runners up one base. Thome walked to force in a run for an 8-5 game. Paul Konerko popped out to first and Hideki Okajima was called on to face Pierzynski, who fanned on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

Okajima retired the White Sox in order in the eighth, but Chicago loaded the bases with none out in the ninth on singles by Uribe and Jerry Owens and a walk to Cintron. Thome struck out swinging, and Konerko bounced into a 5-4-3 game-ending double-play which earned Jonathan Papelbon his 22nd save.

'We chipped in and we go through the last inning fighting,' said Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen. 'That's all you can ask. We won't roll down and ask, 'What happened?' We just out there and continue to push. We were a couple of hits away from having a better game and we couldn't pull the trigger.'

Ramirez gave the home team a jolt in the first with a three-run opposite-field blast into the bullpen. Julio Lugo and Youkilis drew walks to set up the homer.

In the fourth, Crisp singled and Eric Hinske followed with a ground-rule double but the Red Sox didn't score. Chicago responded with a run in the fifth on Jermaine Dye's double followed by Fields' RBI single.

Boston went up 6-1 in the fifth, as Lowell barely cleared the Green Monster with a line-drive three-run shot with two down. In the sixth, a Youkilis sac fly and a Ramirez single pushed the advantage to 8-1.

'That was agonizing but it's a heck of a lot better than losing or (being) behind,' said Sox manager Terry Francona. 'We finished the day like we set out to do. It wasn't very easy, but sometimes it's not.'

Game Notes

Boston completed its 11-game homestand at 6-5...The Red Sox and White Sox meet in Chicago from August 23-26...Boston will recall pitcher Jon Lester from his rehab stint at Triple-A Pawtucket on Monday, and he will make his first start of the season in Cleveland, his first since leaving the club last September due to lymphoma. Pitcher Joel Pineiro will be designated for assignment to make room on the roster...The Red Sox are a major-league best 22-8 in day games and 15-2 at Fenway.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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