Three homers prove to be the difference as Boston tops New York for the second straight time.

09:09 AM EDT on Monday, July 26, 2004

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

AP photo New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter watches Boston Red Sox' Johnny Damon round the bases after Damon's 3-run home run. The Red Sox outslugged the Yankees for a 9-6 victory.

BOSTON -- There is no knowing yet, of course, what two straight victories over the New York Yankees in late July will mean for the Boston Red Sox down the road, or even in the near future.

But after holding off the Yankees, 9-6, last night at Fenway Park before a spirited sellout crowdof 35,006, there was a spring in their step and a more confident look in the Sox' eyes as they packed up for their longest road trip of the season.

Boston, feeding off the momentum created by Bill Mueller's game-winning, two-run ninth-inning homer off ace Yankee closer Mariano Rivera on Saturday, overcame a quick 2-0 deficit and used back-to-back homers by Johnny Damon (three-run shot), Mark Bellhorn and red-hot Kevin Millar (3 for 4, 4 RBI) in establishing a 9-2 sixth-inning advantage.

And while things got a bit hairy later, Boston wound up subduing their American League East rivals, preserving a well-deserved win for struggling right-hander Derek Lowe (9-9).

A reality check in the standings shows that the Yankees still boast a 7 1/2 game lead, 8 games in the loss column over the Red Sox. But Boston now leads the wild-card chase by one-half game and confidence seemingly has been restored, at least temporarily.

"We're probably feeling better about ourselves," said manager Terry Francona. "As quick as you can feel bad about yourself, you can feel good. We're banged up, and we're playing a great team. But when you find ways to win, it can bring your club closer."

The energy generated from Saturday's stunning, dramatic victory carried over to last night's game, said right fielder Gabe Kapler.

"This is going to sound strange, but there were a couple of lulls tonight in our energy, but guys were picking up each other," said Kapler. "They were saying, 'Come on, stay on them' a lot in the dugout. That's our character. That's who we are. We have to maintain that intensity all the time if we're going to win this."

Of course, winning the division still represents a difficult task given the hole that the Sox have dug for themselves.

But there were more than a few positive signs over the last two days. And last night, three of those signs were named Millar, Lowe and Keith Foulke.

Millar, who has been maligned often because of his paltry production, got the Sox rolling with a two-out, two-run single off Jose Contreras in the first inning, tying the game. He added a solo homer in the fifth, and his shattered-bat single in the sixth made it a 9-2 game.

The homer was Millar's sixth in five games on the homestand. He also was on a 10-for-12 tear before making an out in his final at-bat.

"That's gratifying," said Francona. "I know he's been taking some heat. But we're counting on him to supply us with a lot of production in our lineup. What he's done on his roll is huge. He's gotten big hits for us and we need that. It wasn't clicking, and now it is."

Lowe also clicked last night. He was not helped at all by his defense in the first inning, when the Yankees scored two runs. But he was able to stop the bleeding for the first time in a while. He allowed only two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.

"He didn't look like he got rattled," said Francona.

Nor did Foulke. He entered the game with runners at second and third in the eighth, an inning after Hideki Matsui's grand slam off Mike Timlin had pulled the Yankees to within 9-6.

Derek Jeter smashed his first pitch, right off Foulke's shins. The ball rolled back to catcher Doug Mirabelli, whose throw to first glanced off Jeter and rolled into right field. The Yanks thought they had a run, and a budding rally. But plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt called Jeter out for running in the baseline.

The interference negated the run, and then Gary Sheffield hit a rocket that settled into the glove of left fielder Manny Ramirez. Foulke set down the Yanks on five pitches in the ninth for his 16th save.

"It's a funny game," said Foulke. "There have been days when I've gone out the last couple of weeks and given up homers. Tonight I go out and get a couple of hard outs and a few popups and get out of it with seven pitches."

Finally, the Sox were able to laugh, even though the bottom line shows they're just 39-38 over their last 77 games.

Now, they insist, they have more confidence as they head out on the road for a challenging two-week, four-city, 12-game road trip.

"We needed a kick in the butt like this," said Damon. "We haven't played well on the road (21-26), but this has lit a fire. There's no time for a letdown. We have to keep this going."