Ramirez Hits 'Monumental' Home Run

Friday, July 27th 2007, 8:00 am

By: News On 6

Manny Ramirez hit a ball nearly 500 feet into a monument park, and Wily Mo Pena hit a ball so hard his manager thought it was going to go through the outfield wall. Ramirez added another shot that barely cleared the wall, and the Boston Red Sox feasted on Indians pitching in a 12-9 win at Cleveland on Thursday night.

It was Ramirez's shot in the second inning off Cliff Lee (5-8), conservatively estimated at 481 feet, that had everyone talking. The solo shot soaring over a row of shrubs and into a line of trees in Heritage Park, a two-tiered monument park that opened this season.

``It was a bomb,'' said Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis. ``I don't know how they measure it, but he crushed it.''

Ramirez's first homer was unlike all but two others in the Jake's history. Only Jim Thome's 511-footer (1999) and Mark McGwire's 485-footer (1997) traveled further in the ballpark's 13-year existence.

``I'm not amazed,'' Indians catcher Victor Martinez said. ``We all know what he can do.''

Following the game, Ramirez declined an interview request as he dressed in the corner of Boston's clubhouse.

In other AL games on Thursday, it was Baltimore 10, Tampa Bay 7; Chicago 4, Detroit 3; Kansas City 7, New York 0; and Oakland 6, Seattle 2.

After the Indians closed to 12-9, Ramirez connected again with an eighth-inning drive that barely cleared the wall in center. It was his 49th multihomer game, tying Hall of Famers Mel Ott and Eddie Mathews for 12th on the career list.

Pena hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, and Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell drove in two runs apiece as the Red Sox and Indians combined for 23 runs after consecutive 1-0 games.

Pena's fifth homer, a laser shot off reliever Tom Mastny's first pitch in the seventh, gave Boston a 12-5 lead.

``That was one of the hardest balls I've seen go out,'' Francona said. ``I thought it might go through (the wall).''

Julian Tavarez (6-8) relieved starter Kason Gabbard in the fifth, working out of a bases-loaded jam. He pitched 2 1-3 innings.

The Red Sox opened a 9-1 lead with a five-run fifth, putting Gabbard in position to improve to 5-0.

But the rookie left-hander let the Indians back in it as Cleveland scored four in their half. Josh Barfield hit a two-run double and scored on Grady Sizemore's single off the 25-year-old Gabbard, who then walked two to load the bases.

Travis Hafner was hit with a pitch to force in a run and Boston manager Terry Francona pulled Gabbard before things got any worse. Tavarez came on and got Ryan Garko to line out to center.

``It's kind of embarrassing to have a 9-l lead and have that happen,'' Gabbard said. ``I'm just looking forward to my next start.''

Royals 7, Yankees 0

Jorge De La Rosa (8-10) repeatedly pitched out of trouble, and host Kansas City teed off on Kei Igawa (2-3) to stop New York's winning streak at six.

Alex Gordon homered, tripled and doubled, and Tony Pena Jr. and Mark Grudzielanek also tripled for Kansas City, which had lost the first three games of the four-game series.

A day before his 32nd birthday, Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-2 with a walk and remained one shy of 500 career home runs.

Athletics 6, Mariners 2

Nick Swisher hit two home runs to back Dan Haren (12-3), and visiting Oakland extended Seattle's losing streak to a season-high seven games.

Swisher's second homer broke open a 3-2 game in the ninth off George Sherrill, after Chris Reitsma had walked consecutive batters.

Earlier, Swisher and Mark Ellis homered off Jeff Weaver (2-9), who lost his third consecutive start despite allowing only three runs in 7 1-3 innings.

White Sox 4, Tigers 3

Scott Podsednik scored from first base on pitcher Zach Miner's throwing error in the ninth inning, and host Chicago beat Detroit to take three of five in the series against the defending AL champions.

Bobby Jenks (3-4) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory, Chicago's fifth in nine games against the Tigers this season.

Detroit's Justin Verlander allowed just three runs and three hits in seven innings. Miner fell to 1-3.

Orioles 10, Devil Rays 7

Brian Roberts hit a three-run homer and walked three times, helping Baltimore win its fourth straight and improve to 18-13 under interim manager Dave Trembley.

Carlos Pena and Ty Wigginton homered for the Devil Rays, who have been outscored 64-20 during a six-game skid.

Rob Bell (3-1), the first of four Baltimore relievers, got four straight outs after replacing ineffective starter Steve Trachsel.

Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jackson (2-10) allowed six runs, seven hits and three walks in 3 1-3 innings.