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Ramirez drives in three to lead Red Sox past Yankees

Apr 13, 2008 - 2:48 AM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) - The Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees, and Jonathan Papelbon survived Mother Nature.

With the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base, Papelbon struck out Alex Rodriguez on three pitches following a 2-hour, 11-minute rain delay as Boston outlasted New York, 4-3, on Saturday at Fenway Park.

"I just really stayed there the whole entire time," an intense Papelbon said of his focus. "I never got out of my element or game intensity. It felt like I was still on the bench and in the game. That was my whole focus."

Following his clutch performance in the eighth, Papelbon struck out two more in the ninth and converted his fourth save in as many opportunities.

Before the rains came, Manny Ramirez hit a long homer and made Mike Mussina (1-2) and the Yankees pay with a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning as the Red Sox evened the weekend series at a game apiece.

Red Sox starter Josh Beckett (1-1) was on his game early, retiring the first six batters before allowing an infield single to Robinson Cano, who reached when Dustin Pedroia dropped the transfer from glove to hand to open the third.

But Beckett bounced back to retire the next nine batters, giving his offense a chance to get the lead.

Ramirez began his day of clutch hitting with a two-out, solo homer off Mussina (1-2) in the fourth, driving a 2-2 pitch off a billboard atop the "Green Monster" in left-center field to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.

The Yankees finally got to Beckett in the sixth when Friday's star, Jose Molina, singled to lead off the inning. Alberto Gonzalez followed with a single to left before Johnny Damon advanced both runners 90 feet with a bunt.

Melky Cabrera's sacrifice fly to center plated Molina to tie the game and Beckett's wild pitch allowed Gonzalez to score the go-ahead run.

A single by Jacoby Ellsbury and a double by Dustin Pedroia with one out put the Red Sox in position to take the lead in the bottom half. But the struggling David Ortiz struck out, leaving Mussina a chance to escape the sixth inning.

Following a visit by pitching coach Dave Eiland, the Yankees allowed Mussina to pitch to Ramirez.

The Red Sox slugger did not waste any time making them regret the decision, lining a first-pitch fastball to right-center for a two-run double to put Boston back on top, 3-2.

"We talked about it on the bench and went to talk to (Mussina)," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We talked about the comfort level with both the hitters and it was basically the same. If we got behind Manny, then we would walk him. But we never got to that point."

"I just manage our club," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "I've got our hands full with this one. Manny's a very intelligent hitter and those types of things don't throw him off, which is good."

Kevin Youkilis added an RBI single for a 4-2 Boston lead.

Mussina's day was done, allowing four runs eight hits over 5 2/3 innings with one strikeout and no walks.

Beckett was pulled after allowing Cano's RBI double in the seventh that drew New York within one, 4-3.

Making his second start since beginning the season on the disabled list with lower back spasms, Beckett allowed five hits and three runs over 6 2/3 innings. He walked one while striking out five and threw two wild pitches.

Beckett then sat back and waited on his first win at Fenway Park since Game One of the World Series when Papelbon shut the door on the Yankees.

"That's what great players do, they lift everybody up around them," Beckett said. "I don't think it was a must-win, but we all felt like we had to win that game. We got some timely hits, I know we made a bunch of great defensive plays, so it was big that he came in and just kind of nailed down things."

The Yankees put runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the eighth before several bands of heavy showers delayed the game. Papelbon had to warm up twice before finally getting into the game when it resumed at 8:33 p.m. EDT.

Papelbon started off with a splitter that Rodriguez swung and missed. Rodriguez then fanned on two fastballs and the threat was over.

"You take your hacks," Rodriguez said. "Sometimes you get him and sometimes he gets you. I thought it was a good pitch to hit. I just missed it."

"It was pretty amazing because he got hot for the third time and to go out there with that kind of stuff still," Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said. "He accepted a lot for this team and to be able to go out to do that it showed a lot to his teammates and everybody else around. It was a well-needed win for us."