Offense is showing some signs of life

Kevin Youkilis crosses the plate with the ninth Red Sox run, eluding Jose Molina's tag to score on Manny Ramírez's single in the sixth inning. (John Bohn/Globe Staff)

David Ortiz certainly can turn a lineup around. For a team that had been struggling to score runs since the All-Star break, Ortiz helped lead the charge yesterday, as the Sox turned their offensive woes to offensive wows.

With two hits, including a two-run homer, Ortiz helped break the Sox - at least for a game - out of their offensive funk. The team had been hitting just .229 (62 for 271 since the break) before last night's game. And power? There was none of that. Before Manny Ramírez's first inning double last night, the Red Sox had just one extra-base hit (J.D. Drew's home run Saturday) over their last 34 innings. That home run was just the team's 14th in July, matching the Blue Jays for the fewest in the American League this month.

But Ortiz's presence in the lineup makes everyone feel just a little bit better. Except the opposing pitcher, of course.

Ortiz, who missed 45 games with a partially torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, wasn't willing to pronounce himself all the way back before last night's game, but he said it was getting better every day. And he looks it. After an excellent rehab stint in Pawtucket and Portland, Ortiz has been driving the ball well in his first series back.

"It's going to take me a minute," Ortiz said yesterday. "At the plate, the more you play, the better you get."

It didn't take long last night, with Ortiz sending a single to right on his way to scoring the second run of the first inning, an inning that made the team's offensive woes look like an aberration. It was his fourth hit since his return Friday. As for whether his presence takes pressure off his teammates, Ortiz said, "I don't know. Probably."

"Looks healthy," manager Terry Francona said of his designated hitter. "Thought his first game - again, [Joba Chamberlain's] velocity is some of the best in the game, and you couple that with his breaking ball - I didn't see David in between [on swings], which I thought was a good sign. He committed to a swing and he swung, which I thought was good. [Saturday], Andy Pettitte's doing some different things to the ball, he's cutting it, threw a couple breaking balls. I don't think that was health. I think that was a good pitcher making some pretty good pitches."

Pretty good pitches that the Sox couldn't hit. Over the first two games of the series with the Yankees, the Sox had just 12 hits (.185) with three runs. They had four hits and three more runs in the first inning yesterday, finishing the game with 15 hits in their 9-2 win. Ortiz doesn't get all the credit for that, but the lineup surely looks a bit more full with his name in there.

"I don't think about it," Ortiz said, of the team's recent offensive troubles. "I just try to play, do my job. I can't be worrying about how everybody's hitting. Otherwise, that's how you end up putting pressure on yourself and make it worse."

It got better, not worse, last night. It was an offensive show for a team that, given its results recently, needed it.

"We're getting there," Jason Varitek said. "We still have to have time to get David more at bats and keep that tandem working [Ortiz and Ramírez]. We had some good at-bats, Jacoby [Ellsbury] had a good day, which was good for him. Having everybody in there makes our lineup [better].

"It was good to have an offensive day, but it was still led by our starting pitcher."

Young pen pals

With the trade deadline bearing down, the bullpen remains a concern for the Sox. There have been inconsistencies, especially with some of the younger pitchers (Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen) and at least one veteran (Hideki Okajima).

Even Justin Masterson, who had been incredible in his first relief appearance at the major league level, came back down in his second shot at it. Masterson faced three batters Saturday, allowed a hit to each one, and watched both of his inherited runners score.

"We're a little young, at times we look a little young," Francona said. "We have some real good arms. I think we feel like our bullpen can be a strength. It always hasn't been. We saw the flip side of Masterson. That's probably the perfect example. Two and two-thirds [innings] where hardly anybody put the bat on the ball, then he came in yesterday and got hit around. It's a work in progress, but I don't think that means we can't win with what we have."

Colon throwing

Bartolo Colon is scheduled to throw a side session today, after throwing 35 pitches a few days ago with John Farrell. There should be more news after today's session, but the team might try to get Colon in a game soon . . . Ramírez collected his 1,668th RBI last night, moving him into sole possession of 23d place on the all-time list. Next up is Cal Ripken Jr., who has 1,695 . . . Drew's home run Saturday was his 19th this season. He's hit 20 homers three times in his career . . . There was a moment of silence before last night's game for Russ Gibson, a catcher on the 1967 Impossible Dream team. Gibson, 69, died yesterday after a long illness. Gibson, from Fall River, played in 264 games for the Red Sox and Giants between 1967 and 1972.

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.