Big Papi to the rescue: Ortiz beats Phils (again) in 12th

BOSTON (AP) -- Playing against the National League put David

Ortiz in postseason form.

The Red Sox slugger beat the Philadelphia Phillies in extra

innings for the second consecutive game, singling home the winning

run in the 12th for an 8-7 victory on Monday and extending Boston's

winning streak to nine games.

Elias Says
David Ortiz had a 12th-inning game-ending single Monday after hitting a walkoff home run in the last Red Sox game on Saturday. Ortiz is the second player with game-ending RBI in consecutive games this season; Nomar Garciaparra did it May 5-6 vs. Brewers. No Red Sox player has done that since Butch Hobson against the Angels on August 27-28, 1978. • For more Elias Says, Click here.

It was the 10th regular-season, game-ending hit of Ortiz's

career and the third in Boston's last eight home games. He also had

three in the 2004 postseason en route to Boston's first World

Series title in 86 years.

"He's unbelievable. You just know he's coming through," said

outfielder Coco Crisp, who also saw Ortiz hit a 10th-inning homer

on Saturday. "You're just waiting for the opportunity to jump over

the little gate in the dugout and be the first to greet him."

Boston led 6-0 after six and 6-5 in the ninth before Chase Utley

homered off the Pesky Pole in right to force extra innings. The

Phillies took a 7-6 lead in the 12th on Jimmy Rollins' RBI double,

but Crisp doubled and scored on Kevin Youkilis' single to make it

7-7.

Mark Loretta walked, then Ortiz lined a 1-2 pitch to

left-center. Ortiz, who leads the AL with 68 RBI, was mobbed by

his teammates between first and second after Youkilis came around

to score. Boston manager Terry Francona said it's what the team has

come to expect.

"It's almost unfair," he said. "But you feel so confident in

his ability to do those types of things."

Craig Hansen (1-0) earned his first major league victory for the

Red Sox, who have swept three consecutive three-game series -- all

against interleague foes. He pitched two-thirds of an inning and

gave up Rollins' double.

Clay Condrey (1-2) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk

while getting two outs. Rollins had a bases-loaded triple in the

seventh and drove in four runs, but the Phillies have lost 13 of 16

games to fall 12 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the

NL East.

Boston had swept Atlanta and Washington before finishing off the

Phillies in a makeup of Sunday's rainout. The Mets and Pedro

Martinez return to Fenway Park on Tuesday night, and Boston had

members of its 1986 World Series-losing team at the stadium to

discuss plans to honor their 20th anniversary on Tuesday.

The '86 team, which blew a chance to beat the Mets in the Series

when Mookie Wilson's grounder went through Bill Buckner's legs, was

looking on when near-perfect rookie closer Jonathan Papelbon

allowed Utley's solo homer in the ninth to tie it.

"I thought when we came in and scored that run we had a pretty

good chance," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "We just

couldn't hold them. Right now, I don't know what we can do. It just

seems to backfire on us."

Shane Victorino led off the 12th with a single to center, then

moved to second on David Bell's sacrifice bunt and to third on

Chris Coste's groundout. Rollins lined a double off the Green

Monster to give the Phillies their first lead.

Rollins had three hits, and so did Coste, who was playing in

just his 10th major league game.

Crisp had three hits, and Ortiz went 1-for-4 with two RBI.

Ortiz had an RBI groundout in the sixth, when Boston sent 12

batters to the plate to break a scoreless tie.

The Phillies answered with five in the top of the seventh, but

Mike Timlin struck out pinch-hitter Pat Burrell with runners on

first and second to end the inning.Game notes
The Red Sox released LHP Mike Holtz. ... Aaron Rowand went

1-for-3 against Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield and is 11-for-17

versus the knuckleballer. ... The Phillies had three players on

injury rehab: RHP Jon Lieber (strained left groin) will pitch on

Tuesday night, Mike Lieberthal was to catch on Monday night, and

LHP Randy Wolf (left elbow ligament surgery) was to throw on Monday

night. ... Wakefield held the Phillies scoreless through six before

they chased him in the seventh. He allowed three runs, five hits

and two walks, striking out four. ... Phillies right-hander Cory

Lidle allowed four runs, five hits and three walks. He struck out

five in 5 1-3 innings. ... Philadelphia used seven pitchers, but

Arthur Rhodes was not available for personal reasons.