Boston, led by red-hot Manny Ramirez and teammate David Ortiz, pound Toronto to finish off an impressive road trip.

08:35 AM EDT on Thursday, August 26, 2004

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

AP photo Manny Ramirez's home run in the fourth inning, the 381st of his career, is acknowledged by Red Sox teammate David Ortiz, left. Ortiz would follow with a homer of his own.

TORONTO -- The Boston Red Sox finished up their six-game road trip in thunderous style last night, overwhelming the last-place Toronto Blue Jays, 11-5, at SkyDome.

The Red Sox went 5-1, sweeping Chicago and taking two of three from the Jays. Only a month ago, Boston was life and death to win a series on the road, but now the Red Sox find themselves at .500 (32-32) away from Fenway Park and winners of their last four series on the road.

On this trip, the man most responsible for the rousing success was Manny Ramirez.

The Red Sox' left fielder put up staggering numbers on the journey. He crushed four homers in the six games, including a two-run shot that ignited a five-run fifth-inning explosion last night, and knocked in a mind-boggling 15 runs. He batted .391 (9-for-23).

Ramirez now leads the league with 34 homers, and is creeping up on A.L. RBI leaders Miguel Tejada (113 before last night) and Red Sox teammate David Ortiz (111), who made it back-to-back jacks with Ramirez in the fourth and later added a monster two-run shot. Ramirez's RBI total zoomed from 87 to 102.

Certainly there were key efforts from other Red Sox on the trip as Boston, 14-4 in its last 18 games, moved into first place in the wild-card standings and sliced three games off their deficit to the New York Yankees, pulling to within 5 1/2 of the American League East leaders.

Mike Timlin contributed a pair of sparkling relief outings. Ortiz snapped out of his funk long enough to bash a game-winning

homer in Chicago and add two round-trippers and four RBI last night. Orlando Cabrera batted .462 (12-for-26, six two-hit games) with six extra-base hits, including a two-run homer in Boston's five-run fourth last night, and seven RBI. Jason Varitek went 7-for-13 with a pair of homers in his three games. Curt Schilling permitted only one run in 13 1/3 innings in winning two games. Keith Foulke racked up three saves.

But Manny was The Man.

"I would agree with that," said manager Terry Francona.

AP photo Toronto starting pitcher Josh Towers looks away as Boston's David Ortiz rounds the bases last night.

And Ramirez wasn't padding his statistics with garbage-time numbers, either. In each of Boston's five victories, Manny led and the rest of the Red Sox followed.

Game 1: Ramirez launches a two-out grand slam in the second inning, giving Boston a 6-0 lead, essentially putting the game away. The Red Sox won, 10-1.

Game 2: Ramirez blasts a three-run homer in the first, giving Boston a 3-0 advantage three batters into the game, and adds a two-out RBI single in the second that restores Boston's three-run lead en route to a 10-7 triumph.

Game 3: Just after Chicago had gone ahead, 5-4, on Carlos Lee's stunning two-run homer in the eighth, Ramirez whacks Freddy Garcia's first pitch for a game-tying homer to center. Ortiz follows with the game-winning shot for a 6-5 win and the sweep in Chicago.

Game 5: Ramirez jump-starts the Sox, blanked the night before and trailing, 3-0, in the fifth inning Tuesday night in Toronto, by lacing a two-run single to right-center. Doug Mirabelli hits a three-run homer the next inning as the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays, 5-4.

Game 6: Ramirez hacks at a pitch around his eyes and drives it over the center-field fence, a two-run homer that gives the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. Ortiz and Cabrera follow with homers later in the inning, and the rout is on.

Every time the Red Sox needed to put away a team, or get something started, or strike back, Ramirez seemed to be the man at the plate, and he delivered in virtually every instance.

"Manny definitely put us on his shoulders and carried us this whole road trip," said Kevin Millar. "He was swinging the bat great right from the get-go in Chicago. That's why he makes the big bucks."

"He's the type of hitter who, when he's on, he can carry you for certain stretches," added Gabe Kapler. "He was that guy on this road trip. This is the guy we've leaned on to get to the next level the last 7-10 days."

Of course, the man who wreaked such havoc on the opposition the last week, wasn't particularly puffed up about his heroics.

"For me it doesn't matter if I'm in a zone or not," said Ramirez. "I just go out and have fun."

And this last week, Ramirez brought the Red Sox along with him to his own personal bash-happy party that led Boston to its successful trip.