G27: Red Sox 8, Mariners 7

Manny Ramirez (two home runs, including a tie-breaking blast to right in the bottom of the 8th) saves the day, along with relievers Kyle Synder, Brendan Donnelly and JC Romero. (box)

Matsuzaka had a rough beginning -- he walked the first three Seattle hitters. The Mariners sent 10 men to the plate in the top of the first and scored five times (they only got two hits, though). Dice settled down after that -- and Boston got five of their own in the second: Youkilis walked, Lowell singled, Varitek singled (5-1), Pena singled, Pedroia walked (5-2), Lugo doubled (5-4), Crisp popped to short, Ortiz singled to left (5-5).

Ramirez's first home run -- a two-run job to left in the fourth -- gave Boston a 7-5 lead, but Dice gave it right back in the fifth: a one-out walk to Ibanez and singles to Sexson, Guillen and Betancourt.

On a night when Okajima and Papelbon were unavailable -- NESN showed Pap on the bench with his jacket on in the top of the 9th -- the lesser arms came through. In the 9th, Donnelly, who had relieved Synder in the seventh, walked Vidro. Romero retired Ibanez on a 3-6-3 double play and Sexson on a grounder to third.

We're now 18-9 -- with the possibility of a 5.5 game lead in the East. Dice is too good to flounder along with a 5.45 ERA. I cannot behind to tell you how not worried I am.

Also: Timlin was put on the DL (right shoulder tendinitis); Devern Hansack was called up.

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Horacio Ramirez (4.41) / Daisuke Matsuzaka (4.36), 7 PM

On April 11, Dice-K held Seattle to three earned runs and no walks in seven innings, though he lost on a night I was convinced Felix Hernandez (now on the disabled list with a strained elbow) was going to no-hit the Sox. The following night's game was rained out. This is the make-up.

Matsuzaka altered his between-starts routine this week by having a bullpen session two days after his last start rather than three.

In three starts as a Mariner, Ramirez has allowed 21 hits and 11 walks in 16.1 innings. He did have a nice outing against the Royals last Friday.

               IP   H   R ER  BB  SO
0415 v TEX    6.0   7   5  1   3   1
0421 @ LAA    4.0   7   6  6   6   1
0427 v KC     6.1   7   1  1   2   4
             16.1  21  12  8  11   6

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