G106: Red Sox 6, Cleveland 5

Once Cleveland closer Fausto Carmona -- who took the loss on David Ortiz's three-run walkoff HR two nights ago -- hit both Doug Mirabelli and Alex Gonzalez with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the game felt over. Even though Carmona and Cleveland still held a 5-4 lead.

After numerous trips to the mound from the coaching staff and various infielders to calm Carmona down -- his body language was more expressive and indicative of his obvious feeling of defeat than even The Derek Lowe Face -- Carmona walked Kevin Youkilis to load the bases. Then he nearly plunked Mark Loretta with his first pitch before Loretta hit the second offering to deep left. It scrapped the wall -- and Boston had another walkoff win!

Jon Lester threw 36 first-inning pitches and allowed three runs, but Boston rallied in the middle innings. With two outs in the fifth, doubles from Gonzalez and Youkilis and a single from Loretta gave Boston its first two runs and solo home runs from Manny Ramirez and Wily Mo Pena gave the Red Sox a 4-3 lead. Travis Hafner's two-run shot to right-center in the top of the eighth off Mike Timlin put Cleveland back on top -- temporarily.

In New York, the Yankees beat Toronto 7-2, so New York and Boston remain tied atop the East. The Blue Jays fell to 7.5 GB.

***

Jeremy Sowers (3.98) / Jon Lester (3.49), 7 PM

Sowers, a 23-year-old rookie lefty, has thrown back-to-back complete game shutouts -- against the Twins and Mariners. In those 18 innings, he has given up only nine hits and two walks. ... Lester has a 3.12 ERA at fenway. In his first career loss last Friday, Lester allowed five runs and 10 hits (but no walks) over 6.1 innings.

Sizemore, CF     Youkilis, 1B
Michaels, LF     Loretta, 2B
Hafner, DH       Ortiz, DH
Martinez, 1B     Ramirez, LF
Blake, RF        Lowell, 3B
Peralta, SS      Pena, RF
Luna, 2B         Crisp, CF
Shoppach, C      Mirabelli, C
Marte, 3B        Gonzalez, SS

Toronto (Lilly) plays at New York (Wang).