G45: Red Sox 6, Twins 5

Red Sox - 003 200 010 - 6 16  1
Twins   - 010 002 002 - 5  8  0

Jonathan Papelbon allowed another two-run homer with twos in the ninth inning -- to Joe Mauer this time -- but got the next batter for the save.

DH Mike Lowell had four hits, Dustin Pedroia had three, and Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 20. Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay each drove in two runs. Jeff Bailey's dong in the eighth gave the Sox their sixth run.

Penny: 5.1-6-3-0-7, 91.

***

Brad Penny (6.07, 80 ERA+) / Francisco Liriano (6.04, 71 ERA+)

The Red Sox have sole possession of first place for the first time since July 17, 2008.

Penny has pitched into the seventh inning in each of his last three starts. While allowing a lot of hits -- eight, seven and nine, respectively -- he has been able to work out of most jams.

David Ortiz was asked if he needed another day off:

No. Not again. I think I got figured out what I need. That's it. I've got to keep on playing. No more breaks. Ride or die from now on. ...

I'm feeling good. My balance is good. I'm seeing the ball. I am what I am. I like what I am. I'm not going to lie to you. I'm taking good swings. There's nothing much you can do about it. Sometimes you put a good swing on the ball, and it won't go nowhere. ...

What you can never do is just give up. You've got to keep fighting, man, keep fighting, keep on fighting. That's all I've got in me right now. Keep fighting.

Dave Magadan:

I think his mechanics look very good in his pregame work. I think in the game, he gets to a point where he gets a little late in getting ready and his mechanics kind of fall apart a little bit. Maybe it's a matter of just continuing the repetition and the pregame stuff so when the game starts, he's not thinking about what he's working on so much and he can just react where the baseball is.

AL East: Blue Jays/Orioles at 1:30 and Yankees/Rangers at 2:00 (A-Rod in Arlington!).