BOSTON – David Ortiz is still an automatic out, it’s too bad for the Yankees that Manny Ramirez isn’t suffering from the same affliction.
It was more Manny Madness for the Yanks yesterday as they watched their feared nemesis sock it to them again.
Ramirez nearly deployed the air bags on the Volvo sign perched behind the Green Monster, but his biggest hit was the two-run double delivered against Mike Mussina in the sixth inning of Boston’s 4-3 victory at Fenway Park.
Ortiz went hitless for his fifth straight game – he’s now 1-for-29 over his last eight games and watched his average sink to .070. But that wasn’t enough for the Yankees on a day Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and mostly Ramirez created problems.
The blast Ramirez hit in the fourth inning was his 53rd career homer against the Yankees, tying him with Hank Greenberg for third place in that category all-time. Only Jimmie Foxx (70) and Ted Williams (62) have more homers against the Yanks.
In 68 games against the Yankees since 2004, Ramirez now has 25 homers and 65 RBIs. The only opponent Ramirez has homered against more often in his career is the Blue Jays, whom he’s victimized 54 times. The mystery of the day was why manager Joe Girardi elected to have Mussina face Ramirez with runners on second and third and two outs in the sixth. Ramirez pounded a two-run double, extending the Red Sox lead to 3-2 before Kevin Youkilis greeted reliever Brian Bruney with an RBI single.
Ortiz’s nosedive remains a concern for the Red Sox. Big Slumpi entered play with the lowest batting average among AL qualifiers and yesterday did nothing to show he’s on the verge of a breakout. He hit into a double play in the first inning before flying to right, striking out and popping out following a rain delay of 2 hours, 11 minutes. Ortiz also had three lackluster at-bats against Chien-Ming Wang on Friday.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona later indicated that Ortiz might benefit from a day off, if not tonight in the near future.
“That’s actually a possibility,” Francona said. “A day where maybe he can do some physical things but keep his mind.”