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RECAP
BOSTON (AP) – After watching Manny Ramirez knock the ball around
Fenway Park for the better part of three games, Oakland manager Art
Howe had seen enough.
|  | | Jason Varitek's first homer of the season is the best kind blast -- the walk-off variety. |
"I wasn't going to let him beat me," Howe said Sunday after he
ordered Ramirez intentionally walked with the bases empty in the
10th inning. "It was bad enough that he tied it. He had a heck of
a series against us."
Ramirez hit a two-run homer to tie the game in the eighth, and
Jason Varitek hit the game-winning home run in the 11th as the Red
Sox rallied to beat the Athletics 5-4.
Ramirez also went 2-for-4 with three RBI against the A's in the
series opener on Friday and hit a mammoth homer on Saturday. For
the season, he leads the league with a .408 average and 46 RBI,
and he's one off the lead with 13 homers.
Over his career, he has hit 26 homers against Oakland – the most
off any team. That's why Howe chose to walk him in the 10th, even
though conventional wisdom goes against putting the winning run on
base.
"I think it's the first time I've ever seen that," said Boston
manager Jimy Williams, who's been around baseball more than 30
years. "I think it speaks volumes when you see that happen. That
tells the baseball world what kind of hitter this guy is."
Mark Mulder, who was going for his fifth consecutive victory,
took a 4-1 lead into the eighth, but he left after giving up a
leadoff triple to Jose Offerman. John Valentin followed with an RBI
single off Jim Mecir, then Ramirez hit his 13th homer to tie it at
4.
Oakland loaded the bases in the 10th, but Derek Lowe (2-5)
struck out Johnny Damon on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning. In the
bottom of the 10th, Jeff Tam (0-1) put Ramirez on with one out and
nobody on, but Boston couldn't capitalize.
"It's no big deal. They walk me, I walk," Ramirez said. "It
doesn't matter that I walked as long as we win."
Varitek ended it in the 11th, hitting his first homer of the
year to lead off the inning. It was Varitek's first career walk-off
homer.
Lowe allowed one hit and two intentional walks while striking
out one in 1 1-3 innings.
Oakland took a 4-1 lead with four runs in the fifth. Eric Chavez
singled to lead off the inning for the A's first hit of the game,
then Mario Valdez homered to right field, his first of the year and
just the second of his career.
Sal Fasano and Damon walked, and then, after Tim Wakefield
replaced Hideo Nomo, Frank Menechino singled to load the bases.
Jason Giambi hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. After Olmedo
Saenz was hit by a pitch, Damon scored on Terrence Long's
groundout.
Nomo only allowed two hits in four-plus innings, but he walked
six and was charged with four runs. He retired the first six
batters but walked three in the third inning, and his control
started to hurt him in the fifth.
Game notes
After the game, the Red Sox optioned Tomo Ohka and Paxton
Crawford to Triple-A Pawtucket. The moved opened up roster spots
for David Cone and Hipolito Pichardo, who were on rehab
assignments. Cone will start Thursday against Minnesota, a day
after Tim Wakefield makes his first start of the season. ... The
changes to the rotation are the first for the Red Sox this year.
... Chavez hasn't hit into a double play all season. ... Dante
Bichette extended his hitting streak to 13 games. ... Shea
Hillenbrand stole his first base of the season, and just the ninth
for the team this year. ... Valentin, in just his third start at
shortstop in five years, made a diving play and throw in the sixth
inning to save a hit. ... Nomo added to his league lead in walks.
He now has 30.
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Cone will make first start with Red Sox on Thursday
RECAPS
Boston 5
Oakland 4
Tampa Bay 7
Cleveland 0
Anaheim 14
Detroit 2
Baltimore 10
NY Yankees 5
Seattle 7
Toronto 5
Chi. White Sox 6
Texas 3
Minnesota 7
Kansas City 3
Milwaukee 4
Pittsburgh 1
St. Louis 13
Chicago Cubs 4
Montreal 14
Colorado 10
San Francisco 6
NY Mets 3
Los Angeles 3
Atlanta 1
Arizona 6
Philadelphia 1
Florida 10
San Diego 4
Houston 4
Cincinnati 3
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