Twins miss chance to claim first place

The Red Sox' 6-0 victory may have been little more than a footnote for the home team, but it was still a matter of some urgency for the Minnesota Twins, who took the field knowing the Detroit Tigers had lost that afternoon, giving them a chance, with a victory last night, to vault ahead of the Tigers into first place in the American League Central.

With lefthander Johan Santana on the mound, the odds were tipped ridiculously in their favor. Since the 2003 season, Santana had a record of 39-3 in starts made after the All-Star break, including a 9-0 record this season (with four no-decisions).

But after giving up David Ortiz's record-setting 51st home run in the first, Santana allowed singles to Carlos Peña and Gabe Kapler to open the second, then made a costly throwing error while fielding Alex Gonzalez's sacrifice bunt, allowing both runners to score and Gonzalez to sprint to third. He scored on Mark Loretta's sacrifice fly.

Santana allowed no more scoring, but he was lifted after throwing 100 pitches through five innings, matching his shortest outing of the season. When Mike Lowell followed Ortiz's 52d home run in the seventh by lining reliever Matt Guerrier's next pitch into the Monster seats for his 18th homer, the Sox led, 6-0, on a night that Josh Beckett registered a career-best 16th win by limiting the Twins to six hits in eight innings.

The loss kept the Twins a half-game behind the Tigers but 5 1/2 ahead in the wild card.

A visitor to the Sox clubhouse yesterday was Todd Claus, the 37-year-old manager of the Portand Sea Dogs, the Red Sox Double A affiliate that won the Eastern League championship last weekend.

Claus, who will manage an entry in the newly revived Hawaii Winter League that begins play next month -- ``I'm taking my wife and son with me," said Claus, who has never been to Hawaii. ``We figure he can miss two months of first grade better than he can miss Hawaii" -- was effusive in his praise of Portland center-fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, regarded as the top position prospect in the Sox system.

Ellsbury is scheduled to play next month in the Arizona League, the development league that has served as a springboard for numerous big leaguers.

``I think he can be as good as he wants to be," Claus said of the center fielder, who was the team's top draft pick in 2005 and turned 23 Sept. 11. ``Jacoby can impact a game on both sides of the ball. His speed can really impact a game, and he's not afraid of the wall, he takes away extra-base hits. And when he gets on base, he can really disrupt a game.

``He's got a lot of ability, a real clean swing. If there's one thing I'd say he needed to work on is plate discipline and strike zone judgment, but that's to be expected. Let's judge the guy after he has a thousand minor league at-bats -- although he might not get that many."

One thing that particularly impressed Claus, he said, was the way Ellsbury handled the added pressure of playing in the postseason. ``Different guys respond different ways," he said. ``Jacoby flat lined. He didn't get up or get down. He just continued to do the same things he'd done all season. I was really impressed with that."

No sooner had the game ended than the festivities really began. With the team heading to Toronto, the rookies got to play their annual game of dress-up, a traditional indoctrination ritual. Not only did recent call-ups David Murphy and Dustin Pedroia get to participate -- Raggedy Andy, complete with bright red wig and red-and-white-striped stockings, and a jumper-clad baby with a bib, respectively -- but bullpen stalwarts Jonathan Papelbon and Manny Delcarmen were forced to get in on the action. Delcarmen got a shiny maid's costume, while Papelbon donned a wig and gold lame-topped miniskirt outfit. At least the Customs officials should get a laugh.

Terry Francona offered no details, saying the club would have more to say today in Toronto, but evidently the news is not good on Coco Crisp, whose surgically repaired left index finger was examined by a hand specialist yesterday. With Wily Mo Peña out with a strained right quad, Kevin Youkilis bothered by a strained neck, and Crisp hurting, manager Terry Francona elected to give Carlos Peña, a first baseman by trade, his first start in the outfield. Peña handled a couple of base hits in left, but otherwise did not have any chances. He moved to first base in the eighth, with Murphy taking over in left . . . Manny Ramírez took batting practice yesterday, but did not play, and that won't change unless he deems it so. Ramírez's agent, Gregg Genske, was in town this week and talked with CEO Larry Lucchino and general manager Theo Epstein . . . Ortiz is planning to auction off home run ball No. 50 online with opening bids to be made this morning at 11, on www.redsox.com. The bidding will remain open until 7 p.m. next Tuesday. Proceeds are to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of America and the Plaza de la Salud Hospital de Niños, in Ortiz's hometown of Santo Domingo.

Amalie Benjamin of the Globe Staff contributed.