Benches clear after plunking and Sox top Rays 7-1

[June 06, 2008]  BOSTON (AP) -- Manny Ramirez homered, drove in five runs and got into a shouting match with a teammate as Boston beat Tampa Bay 7-1 Thursday night in a game that included a bench-clearing brawl between the Red Sox and Rays.

TV cameras showed Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis being separated after exchanging words in the dugout at the end of the fourth inning. Ramirez pointed at Youkilis before being escorted down the runway toward the clubhouse by trainer Paul Lessard and a few players.

The Red Sox posted their 13th straight home win, matching the majors' longest streak in nearly two years, and completed their second three-game sweep of the Rays in just more than a month.

The fight started after Boston's Coco Crisp was hit on the right hip by a second-inning pitch from James Shields. Crisp dropped his bat, charged the mound and ducked a wild right by Shields before throwing a few punches himself.

Crisp was tackled to the ground by Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro. Rays designated hitter Jonny Gomes charged the mound from the dugout, jumped on Navarro and Crisp, and threw several punches that hit Crisp while he was on the ground.

Crisp, Shields and Gomes were ejected.

The tempers between the teams carried over from Wednesday's game when Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon felt Crisp "intentionally" tried to hurt Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura with a hard slide when he was caught stealing.

Crisp said he was upset with shortstop Jason Bartlett, not Iwamura, after Bartlett put his knee down in front of the bag on Crisp's successful steal in the sixth Wednesday, saying he sprained his left thumb on a headfirst slide.

Jon Lester (4-3), making his first Fenway start since his no-hitter against Kansas City May 19, gave up one run and eight hits, struck out five, hit two batters and didn't walk anyone in 6 1-3 innings. Mike Timlin worked 1 2-3 hitless innings and David Aardsma got the final three outs.

Ramirez's three-run homer -- the 503rd home run of his career -- gave Boston a 3-0 lead in the first. Dustin Pedroia was hit on the left elbow by Shields (4-4) and J.D. Drew doubled before Ramirez's drive cleared the seats above the Green Monster.

Ramirez's right knee appeared to buckle when he took a pitch in the seventh. He continued to flex his leg after drawing a walk before leaving for pinch runner Kevin Cash one batter later. 

Gomes' RBI single made it 3-1 in the second, but Pedroia had a sacrifice fly in the bottom half.

Drew's bases-loaded walk and Ramirez's two-run single through the shortstop hole made it 7-1 in the fourth.

Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury left the game with a strained right wrist after making a diving catch of Evan Longoria's fourth-inning liner.

Boston swept Tampa Bay in Fenway Park from May 2-4, the only other time the Rays have been swept this season.

Notes: The Minnesota Twins had the most recent 13-game home winning streak, from June 11-July 2, 2006. ... With the Celtics opening up the NBA finals against the Lakers about 3 miles away Thursday night, the starting time was pushed up one hour. Former Celtics John Havlicek threw out the first pitch after a montage of basketball highlights were shown on the center field scoreboard. ... The Rays selected SS Tim Beckham from Griffin (Ga.) H.S. with the first overall pick of the draft. ... Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 11 games. ... Backup catcher Cash ran back to the bullpen to catch someone warming up in the eighth before batting in the bottom of the inning.

[Associated Press; By CHARLES ODUM]

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