BOSTON -- With his family in the stands, Manny Ramirez allowed himself to daydream about hitting a game-winning homer.
In the eighth inning, he did just that.
Ramirez's tiebreaking solo shot cleared the Green Monster and everything near it, sparking a six-run outburst that gave the Boston Red Sox an 11-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.
"I was thinking, 'I want to hit one out because my (family) is here,"' he said.
Mike Timlin (3-1) threw two perfect innings in relief of Bronson Arroyo, who gave back the lead twice before the Boston batters came up with an advantage that couldn't be squandered.
"No one gives up in this clubhouse," said shortstop Pokey Reese, who had three RBI. "It's great to be a part of this."
Michael Nakamura (0-3) inherited a 5-5 tie when he came in to start the eighth and Ramirez greeted him with his 10th homer of the season, a shot that cleared the Green Monster, the seats above it and the fence behind them.
"You're trying to match guys up as best as you can," Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca said. "Manny can do that to anybody. I don't care who it is. The one thing you hope when he comes up there is that you keep him in the ballpark."
Varitek was hit by a pitch, and that was it for Nakamura. Valerio De Los Santos got one out before Kevin Millar doubled to put runners on second and third. Kerry Ligtenberg faced three batters -- walk, single, passed ball, intentional walk -- before Adams came in.
Varitek reached base four times and scored twice, and Millar drove in a pair of runs for Boston.
Vernon Wells and Josh Phelps also homered for the Blue Jays, who have lost eight of their last 10 road games.
Both starters struggled early. Arroyo gave up two runs in the second when he walked Carlos Delgado and Chris Gomez singled two outs later. Pond followed with a two-run double.
But Boston took the lead in the bottom half when the first five batters reached. Millar and Reese had RBI singles, another run scored on a double play and Mark Bellhorn doubled to make it 4-2.
Wells' homer made it 4-3 in the third, and Phelps' solo shot tied it in the fourth.
The Red Sox took the lead again when Varitek doubled to lead off the sixth, moved to third on Brian Daubach's single and scored on Millar's sacrifice fly.
Pond tied it in the seventh, chasing Arroyo.
Notes
- Boston signed DH/1B David Ortiz to a two-year, $12.5 million contract extension.
- Toronto has scored four runs for RHP Roy Halladay in his four losses, and 39 runs in his four wins. He had decisions in eight of his nine starts before Friday.
- Toronto has homered in each of its last 10 games.
- Blue Jays 3B Eric Hinske doubled in the fourth to snap an 0-for-14 slump.
- Each of the first three Blue Jays flied out to center.
- Boston OF Damon shaved his beard for the first time in three months and raised $15,000 for the Boston public library. He still hasn't gotten a haircut.
- 3B Bill Mueller has been diagnosed with mild patellar tendinitis in his right knee and is considered day-to-day.
- The Red Sox placed RHP Scott Williamson on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation, and recalled RHP Anastacio Martinez from Triple-A Pawtucket.
AP NEWS
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