Ortiz heroics helps Red Sox edge Indians
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The ever-reliable David Ortiz smacked a pair of homers, including a game winning three-run blast with one out in the ninth, to lift the Boston Red Sox to a dramatic 9-8 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday.
It was second game-ending hit in three days and fifth this season for "Big Papi" and it ignited a predictable wild celebration among a capacity crowd at Fenway Park.
"We've seen it so often," Red Sox manager Terry Francona told MLB.com.
"The whole inning we're sitting there thinking, 'Let's just get David to the plate.'
"Obviously, because he's the middle of the order, and that means guys are on and we have a chance.
"But he just has the ability to take such good swings in those situations.
"He doesn't do anything different. I think he's smart enough to know the pressure is on the other team, even though we're down."
With Boston trailing 8-6 and down to their final two outs, Ortiz stepped up the plate and took an 0-2 offering from Indians reliever Fausto Carmona and drove it over the wall in deep center for his major league-leading 37th home run of the season.
"A pitch to hit," Ortiz said. "That guy is throwing some good pitches out there. You don't want to get too picky. You just want to get a pitch that you can drive."
As Ortiz rounded the bases to a thundering ovation he was mobbed by his team mates when he touched home plate, earning the Red Sox their fourth win in seven games and a one game lead over the idle New York Yankees at the top of the American League East.
Manny Ramirez contributed a two-run homer to the win, while Wily Mo Pena chipped in with a solo shot.
Ortiz's heroics helped hide a rough effort from David Wells, who was making his first start in over two months after coming off the disabled list.
The veteran lefty had trouble shaking off the rust, hammered from eight runs on eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings.
Kyle Snyder (3-2), however, was sparkling in relief of Wells, allowing just one hit while striking out six without a walk in 4 1/3 shutout innings.
Casey Blake homered twice and drove in five runs for the Indians but it was not enough as Cleveland dropped their third straight game.
In Minneapolis, Torii Hunter and Josh Rabe slammed three-run homers to power the Twins past the Texas Rangers 15-2.
Hunter celebrated his return from the disabled list with a three-hit night, driving in four runs and scoring three times, while Nick Punto had a perfect night at the plate, going four-for-four with three RBI and four runs scored.
Justin Morneau chipped in with two RBI and two runs scored as the Twins unleashed an 18-hit barrage on the Rangers.
The Twins put the contest out of reach early, bringing across five runs in the first, keyed by Rabe's three-run blast, and driving in three more in the second to take command at 8-0.
That was more than enough runs for Carlos Silva (7-9), who delivered seven strong innings, surrendering one run on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
John Rheinecker (4-5) was saddled with the loss, rocked for eight runs on nine hits before being chased from the game after just 1 2/3 innings.
