At bat, Ramirez off and running

CLEVELAND -- When Manny Ramírez does something inexplicable, ''usually somebody makes a smart comment" on the bench, according to Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

How about Monday night, when Ramírez lined a ninth-inning single to left field, made the turn at first as if he were being chased, and then jogged into -- and by -- second base, knowing he was toast?

''Even [Kevin Millar] looked at me like . . ."

Francona paused, spreading his arms to shrug.

''There was nothing to say," Francona continued. ''I looked at Brad Mills. I said, 'What the [expletive] did I miss?' He made a great turn. But he just kept going."

The play went down as a single, giving Ramírez three hits on the night (he also homered and doubled), along with four RBIs. And while Ramírez has been criticized for his low average -- he's hitting .269, 47 points below his career average -- it's evident that his slump is in the rear-view mirror.

Consider:

After going 0 for 4 against the Yankees May 27, leaving him 1 for his previous 16, Ramírez plummeted to .224 with 11 HRs and 38 RBIs. In 46 games through that date, he had just eight multihit games.

In the 20 games since May 27, Ramírez has eight multihit games, raising his average 45 points. He's hitting .363 (29 for 80) in that span with 5 HRs and 19 RBIs.

The homer he hit Monday night was one of his more impressive. It wasn't anything majestic, only 354 feet, but it came off what Francona called ''about an unhittable pitch" from C.C. Sabathia, inside and down. Way down.

Evidently, the Sox bench sensed something.

''There are so many times, these guys know him so well, you can almost tell sometimes, heads up, if this pitch is thrown where he can hit it, he'll hit a home run," Francona said. ''It's just amazing.

''You get the feeling your pitcher better throw a pitch because Manny's going to hit it. He doesn't just hit singles. He hits those towering, just beautiful [shots]. He's coming closer and closer more often."

In a humorous moment last night, Ramírez singled in the first inning, and ''there were a lot of guys yelling, 'Stop!' " said Francona. ''I actually think I may have been leading that."

Ramírez's ninth-inning home run, which stretched a 7-2 lead to 9-2, gave him 170 as a member of the Red Sox. That tied Jackie Jensen for 10th on the club's all-time list. Nomar Garciaparra is up next at 178. Ramírez has homered five times in his last eight games.

Timeout, Damon
Francona gave some thought to pulling Johnny Damon Monday after Damon grounded out in the first inning and struck out swinging in the third.

''I was concerned," Francona said. ''His first couple swings, he was really stiff."

It was a blessing that Damon remained in the game because his ninth-inning solo homer proved the difference in a 10-9 win. But, sensing Damon's need to rest his ailing right rotator cuff, Francona said, ''I'll probably force him not to play [today]."

Damon said he'd agree to the day off, which will be followed by tomorrow's team offday.

''He's hurting," Francona said. ''It looks like to me as the game progresses he gets into the game and he gets a little looser. He sees some pitches, he's smart enough to cheat a little bit. You can tell he's hurting a little bit."

Cleveland will pitch lefty Cliff Lee tonight, and the day off makes sense, not because Damon doesn't hit lefties well but because it can be a painful thing for him to swing and miss badly at a looping breaking pitch from a lefty.

Damon's sixth-inning RBI double extended his hitting streak to 10 games, during which he's batting .333 (15 for 45) with 2 HRs and 9 RBIs.

Playing through
Francona offered Edgar Renteria last night off to rest his hurting left wrist. ''He's a little tender," Francona said. ''He's been sore for a while." Renteria said no thanks. ''If I rest it for a day, and I don't feel any better the next day, it was a waste," said Renteria, who was injured swinging at a pitch about a week ago. He said the wrist only really hurts when he swings and misses . . . Curt Schilling was upbeat and bouncing around the clubhouse a day after his three-inning simulated game. He'll throw another Friday (85-90 pitches) and then make a rehab start, presumably the first of two. But Schilling claims he has made no plans beyond Friday. ''I'm not allowed to," he said . . . Oregon State was knocked out of the College World Series Monday, opening the door for the Sox's top draft pick, Jacoby Ellsbury, to sign with the club. He is expected to join the Sox' affiliate in Lowell . . . The Sox have scored six or more runs in 10 of the last 11 games . . . Five of Bronson Arroyo's six wins have come on the road . . . David Ortiz had his fourth two-homer game of the season and 15th of his career.