Manny being Manny lifts Red Sox to 6-4 comeback win

For the second straight night, Boston's bullpen and offense bailed out a dreadful performance by a starter who could not throw strikes. This evening, Jon Lester followed Daisuke Matsuzaka's lead by lacking command on his fast ball and frequently falling behind in counts. The left-hander was rescued by Julian Tavarez, who responded with 2.2 scoreless innings, and an array of Sox hitters, who turned a 4-1 deficit into a 6-4 win.

It was Manny Ramirez who once again struck the game-winning blast. Boston tied the game at 4-4 when Julio Lugo opened the top of the ninth with a double off Cleveland closer Joe Borowski, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Coco Crisp and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Dustin Pedroia. David Ortiz, who did not hit the ball hard all night, blooped his second base hit of the game to continue the rally for Ramirez, who launched the first pitch he saw from Borowski into the left field seats for a two-run home run.

Jonathan Papelbon retired the side in order in the ninth, including two strikeouts, to earn his fifth save of the season and help Boston improve to 8-6. The Sox take a three-game winning streak into Tuesday's night's series finale at what is now called Progressive Field, not Jacobs Field.

Earlier in the game, it appeared that the Indians would cruise to victory. Jake Westbrook was shaky in the first inning, surrendering an RBI double to Kevin Youkilis, but he settled down and kept the Sox bats quiet while Lester struggled.

After walking Grady Sizemore to start the first inning, Lester did retire nine batters in a row. Then his trademark lack of control haunted him. Pitching behind in the count, he walked Asdrubal Cabrera to lead off the fourth and then served up base hits to Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez, the latter plating a run. Lester later allowed an RBI single to Ryan Garko before escaping further damage in the fourth.

An inning later, Lester walked Casey Blake and Sizemore, recorded an out on a Cabrera sacrifice bunt and then coughed up a two-run single to Hafner that lifted the Indians to a 4-1 advantage. Lester was finally chased after Martinez singled and Jhonny Peralta walked to load the bases. Enter Tavarez, who struck out Garko and David Delluci to keep Boston in the game. Lester's pitching line was ugly - 4.1 innings, four runs, five hits, four walks, 97 pitches, 55 strikes.

It was the second night in a row when a Sox reliever entered with the game on the line and responded. On Sunday, Javier Lopez bailed out Mike Timlin and Boston retained its lead to defeat the Yankees.

Timlin, who carried an 81.00 ERA to the mound, pitched a scoreless eighth inning and was credited with the win. While Tavarez and Timlin did their jobs, Boston chipped away at the 4-1 deficit. Pedroia lined an RBI single in the seventh, ending Westbrook's night. The Cleveland starter allowed two runs (one earned) and seven hits in 6.1 innings.

In the eighth, Youkilis ripped a solo home run of Rafael Betancourt, who relieved Westbrook an inning earlier and fanned Ortiz and Ramirez. Youkilis was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a home run. He also had two RBI, scored a run and was hit by a pitch.

Timlin's scoreless eighth allowed Boston to enter the ninth down 4-3 against Borowski, who for some reason is still the Indians closer instead of Betancourt. The Sox scored three off Borowski, highlighted by Manny being Manny.

Crisp was instrumental in the win as well. He did not score a run or knock in a run, but he had two hits, was barely retired on a bunt base hit attempt in the first and was out by inches on what would be a sacrifice bunt in the ninth that led to Pedroia's sacrifice fly.

It was an encouraging night for Ortiz, who was 2-for-5. His two hits were bloops, but often that is what ends a slump and starts a hot streak. Paul Byrd, beware.