Red Sox go up 2-0
BOSTON – One fan got a baseball. The rest left with another sweet memory.
Manny Ramirez homered off Francisco Rodriguez with two outs in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-3 Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-5 A.L. playoff series.
The Red Sox, who tied the game in the fifth thanks to the friendly – and legal – grab of a front-row fan, have a chance to complete the sweep Sunday.
Curt Schilling will face Jered Weaver in Game 3 in Anaheim.
Game 2 was a grueling, four-plus hour affair, in which Daisuke Matsuzaka needed 60 pitches to get through the first two innings.
Four relievers from Boston’s well-rested bullpen threw 4 1/3 innings of hitless ball, with Jonathan Papelbon getting the last four outs for the win.
Julio Lugo opened the Red Sox ninth with a single off losing pitcher Justin Speier. On a hit-and-run, Lugo took second on Dustin Pedroia’s grounder.
Rodriguez relieved and struck out Kevin Youkilis, then intentionally walked David Ortiz – his record fourth walk of the game – to face Ramirez.
“You’ve got pick your poison with those guys,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Ramirez, coming off the worst offensive full season of his career, hit a 1-0 pitch over the Green Monster and the seats behind it. It was his 21st postseason home run, one behind Bernie Williams’ career record.
“Part of the reason he got a chance to swing is David is such a good hitter, such a clutch hitter,” manager Terry Francona said.
It was Boston’s eighth consecutive postseason victory over the Angels.
Ramirez also helped tie the game in the fifth with some help from 17-year-old Danny Vinik, who barehanded his foul popup and kept it away from Angels catcher Jeff Mathis. As Mathis punched the air in frustration, Vinik got high-fives from neighboring fans, including horror author Stephen King.
“When you’re reaching in there (among the fans), all bets are off,” Scioscia said.
Ramirez, who had fallen behind 0-2, then watched four straight balls go by to load the bases. Mike Lowell followed with a fly ball to center – the third out, if not for Vinik’s catch – for a sacrifice fly that made make it 3-3.
But Ramirez didn’t need any help in the ninth. He cleared everything with his three-run shot, setting off a celebration reminiscent of 2004.
“He’s one of the greatest closers in the game and I’m one of the best hitters in the game,” Ramirez said.
Most years, he is.
Ramirez had just 20 homers and 88 RBIs this season – his lowest totals since he played half-time in 1994 – as he struggled with injuries. He missed almost a month at the end of the season to rest a strained muscle in his left side.
“I haven’t been right all year,” Ramirez said in his first interview of the season. “When you don’t feel good and you still get hits, that’s how you know you’re a bad man.”