NEW YORK, 21 July 2006 — Manny Ramirez slammed a solo home run and Josh Beckett tossed eight shutout innings as the Boston Red Sox edged the Kansas City Royals 1-0 for the second straight game on Wednesday at Fenway Park.
Not since 1916, when Babe Ruth was pitching for the Red Sox, have Boston fans witnessed back-to-back 1-0 wins at Fenway, which is more often the scene of slugfests than shutouts.
Less than 24 hours after rookie Jon Lester combined with closer Jonathan Papelbon to one-hit the Royals, veteran Josh Beckett took to the mound and delivered another gem.
Just prior to the opening pitch, Beckett (12-5) agreed to a three-year $30 million contract extension with the Red Sox and celebrated by scattering four hits over eight superb innings while striking out seven without a walk.
“I think my changeup early in the game was key,” Beckett told MLB.com. “I threw a couple for strikes early in the game.
“I got great defense today. That was huge. I should have probably given up seven hits.” Papelbon, once again, came on in the ninth to seal the deal recording the final three outs and his 29th save of the season as the Red Sox moved 1 1/2 games clear of the New York Yankees top the American League East.
The game’s only run came in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ramirez took the first pitch from hard luck loser Mark Redman (6-5) and crushed into the seats top the Green Monster for his 25th home run of the season and 224th in a Red Sox uniform moving him into six place on the franchise’s all-time list.
It was the only miscue by Redman, who was otherwise brilliant yielding seven hits while striking out nine without a walk in eight innings.
“He just got a pitch maybe he was looking for and out over the plate but it was down,” said Redman. “Home run, you have to take that.
“We weren’t able to come through today but we have to keep our heads up and look what we did on this road trip and take the positives out of it.”
In New York, Ichiro Suzuki scored the winning run on Raul Ibanez’s sacrifice fly as the Seattle Mariners edged the Yankees 3-2 to avoid a three game series in the Bronx.
Suzuki finished the day with three hits, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases to help the struggling Mariners pull out of four game losing skid. Richie Sexson added a solo home run to the Seattle cause while reliever Mark Lowe (1-0) took credit for the win after recording the last two outs of the seventh inning. Randy Johnson (10-8) gave New York eight gritty innings but was tagged with the loss yielding three runs on seven hits as the Yankees saw their five game winning streak come to an end.
In Detroit, Craig Monroe belted a sixth-inning grand slam powering the Tigers past the Chicago White Sox 5-2.
Trailing 2-0, Magglio Ordonez sparked the sixth inning comeback with a bases loaded RBI single before Monroe stepped to the plate and Javier Vazquez over the wall in deep left to give the Tigers just their second win in eight meetings with the World Series champions this season.
Joe Crede and Juan Uribe each had solo home runs for the struggling White Sox, who have lost four of five since the All-Star break.
