01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 30, 2004

BY STEVEN KRASNER and SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writers

NEW YORK -- David Ortiz was the American League's Player of the Week last week. And he will be a serious contender for Player of the Month honors.

But will he make his first All-Star team?

Ortiz certainly has the numbers, but there will be no designated hitter used in this year's Midsummer Classic, which will be played July 11 in Houston. So he'll have to rely on either the players' vote, which will be announced later this week, or on the mercy of Yankee manager Joe Torre, who will lead the A.L. team.

"I'll take him out to dinner tonight to make sure," said Ortiz with a smile.

Ortiz knows he's no lock, even if was leading the league with 72 RBI to go along with his 19 homers, one off the league lead, and .304 batting average heading into last night game against the Yankees.

He was hopeful, though, especially given the fact he had been allowed to leave the Minnesota organization after the 2002 season to become a free agent.

"It would mean a lot to go," said Ortiz. "It would be great. Guys who have been there tell me what a great experience it is."

Reese back at second

Pokey Reese was back in the lineup last night, starting at second base. He had missed the last four games because of a partially torn collateral ulnar ligament in his left thumb, suffered while trying to make a diving play last Wednesday night against Minnesota.

Reese had a splint in his glove to help cushion the thumb while he was on defense. At the plate, he wore an extra batting glove with some padding.

He said he wouldn't play any differently, except slide feet-first instead of his customary belly-flop style, which, he continued, was a difficult adjustment.

"You can't think about things when you're on the field. You have to go out and play. The thumb is feeling good enough to go out and play," said Reese before the game.

"He'll help us," said manager Terry Francona. "He'll do something. He brings a lot of energy and intelligence to the lineup."

Reese turned a double play in the second, helping limit the Yankees to one run in the inning.

Reese also started a double play in the eighth. But his inability to field Jorge Posada's bouncer in the fifth forced the Sox to settle for one out instead of two, a mistake Tony Clark cashed in by hitting a two-run homer.

"I tried to get rid of the ball too quick," said Reese.

At the plate, Reese went 1-for-4. He said his injured thumb didn't affect him.

"The pain was manageable," said Reese.

Damon's dingers

The homer by Johnny Damon was the 13th leadoff blast of his career, but first since Aug. 1, 2002, against Texas. It was the Sox' first leadoff homer since Bill Mueller began a game with one against Kansas City last Aug. 30.

The two-homer game for Damon was the sixth of his career. It took him only three pitches to accomplish the feat. He crushed a 1-and-0 pitch for his first homer, a shot to right. And he picked on the first pitch in his second at-bat, in hitting another no-doubt-about-it rocket, this one to right center.

The homers were the fifth and sixth of the season for Damon, who hadn't homered since June 9, going 63 at-bats without one.

Meanwhile . . .

Byung-Hyun Kim will make his second appearance for Pawtucket tonight since rejoining the organization. Meanwhile, Ramiro Mendoza, suffering from a strained neck, is expected to long-toss with Pawtucket, which is visiting Norfolk.

Extra rest for Pedro

If the Sox wanted to, they could get three more starts out of Pedro Martinez -- slated to start the series finale tomorrow night -- before the end of the first half of the season. Instead, the Sox will use Monday's off-day to give all the starters an extra day of rest, meaning Martinez will pitch next Wednesday against Oakland, then not again until after the All-Star break.

For the record . . .

For the second time in his career, Clark homered into the straightaway center-field area that was created when Yankee Stadium was remodeled in 1974-75. He also did it in 1999 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. It's been done 23 different times. Clark's shot off Derek Lowe traveled approximately 460 feet.

Clark became just the third player to accomplish the feat more than once and the first to do it as a visiting player and home player. Danny Tartabull and Bernie Williams have done it three times each, all as members of the Yankees.

Draftee negotiations

According to a source familiar with the negotiations, "methodical" progress is being made in contract talks with top draft pick Dustin Pedroia, the infielder from Arizona State selected by the Sox in the second round of the amateur draft earlier this month.

Around the bases

Yankee first baseman Jason Giambi took batting practice yesterday but was so fatigued by the time he was done that he was pulled out of the starting lineup. Giambi had missed the two games against the New York Mets on Sunday because of viral gastroenteritis with mild dehydration, which forced him to go to a local hospital for intravenous fluids. Yesterday's diagnosis was parasites in his intestines, a condition that is being treated with antibiotics. . . . Vice President Dick Cheney attended last night's game. . . . Garciaparra now has made four errors in 16 games since returning to the lineup on June 9 . . . Ortiz has seven homers in his last 11 games . . . The Sox are 4-9 in their last 13 road games . . . The nine runs allowed were a career high for Lowe, though only five were earned . . . Boston is 6-2 against the Yanks this year.