Manny Ramirez and Jason Varitek, hitless in the recent series in New York, lead the barrage.

01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, September 26, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- It's small consolation at this point perhaps, but at the very least the New York Yankees won't be able to celebrate a seventh-straight A.L. East title on the Fenway lawn this afternoon.

That much -- to say nothing of a victory in the season series between the two teams -- was assured last night with the Red Sox' 12-5 thrashing of the Yanks, which snapped a two-game losing streak and kept the Yanks' magic number for the division title locked at four. They lead the Sox by 3 1/2 games in the division.

Even a win in the final regular season meeting today won't guarantee the Yanks the crown.

"They'll get their chance to celebrate somewhere," said Johnny Damon, all but conceding the division. "We just need to get a bit closer (to clinching a wild-card berth)."

Both Texas and Anaheim won yesterday, but the Sox' victory lowered their magic number over both to three.

The Sox snapped a 5-5 tie in the eighth against a New York bullpen which didn't have Tom Gordon available. Manny Ramirez hit a booming double to straightaway center to give the Sox the lead for good and Jason Varitek added a pinch-hit, two-run, ground-rule double.

The inning continued with a two-run double by Doug Mirabelli (four RBI), a sacrifice fly by Orlando Cabrera and a run-scoring single by Bill Mueller.

"I thought it was a great win," said Terry Francona, who had been ejected earlier for arguing a fan-interference call. "Every one we get from here on is great, especially with these guys. I mean, they're a good team and they're not easy to beat."

The Sox' win was their 10th this year against the Yanks, giving them their first season-series edge over New York since 1999. It marked the first time the Sox had double-figures in wins over the Yankees since 1975, when they went 11-5.

"It's huge," said Damon of the win, the Sox' first over the Yanks at home in September since 1998. "It brings us a game closer to clinching and that's what we really want to do, as soon as possible."

It was fitting that Ramirez and Varitek supplied the big blows in the eighth. They were each hitless against New York last weekend.

"It's not like I'd gone all year without a hit," said Varitek. "I was not real panicked. I just wanted to get it into the outfield."

The Sox feasted on Paul Quantrill, C.J. Nitkowski and Scott Proctor in the eighth. Keith Foulke, who got the final out in the New York eighth, pitched the ninth, too, for his fifth win of the season.

A controversial call by the umpires cost the Sox a couple of runs in the sixth, forged a tie for the Yanks and resulted in the ejection of Francona.

Two were out with Hideki Matsui (fielder's choice) and Bernie Williams (walk) on first and second when Jorge Posada pulled a ball down the right field line.

As the ball hugged the foul line, a fan reached over and seemed to interfere with the ball, and both Yankee baserunners were awarded home plate. Francona came out to argue, first with first-base umpire Jim Wolfe, and then with home-plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth, maintaining that Williams wouldn't have scored from first.

"I just thought Trot (Nixon, right fielder) needed a chance to throw somebody out and I don't think he got that chance," Francona said.

Following a spirited discussion, Francona was thrown out by Culbreth.

The Sox took their first lead of the game in the fifth, chasing starter Javier Vazquez in the process, as they connected for four hits and two runs, with David Ortiz and Nixon providing run-scoring singles.

A costly error by Kevin Millar opened the door for a two-run fourth for the Yanks.

Alex Rodriguez hit a routine pop-up toward first, but as Millar tracked the ball on the outfield grass, he misplayed it and the ball fell in over his head.

After a flyout by Gary Sheffield, Matsui worked the first walk of the night off starter Tim Wakefield, giving the Yankees two on with one out.

Wakefield got Williams on a groundout to first as both baserunners moved up, but Posada then drove a double high off The Wall, and with both runners moving on two outs, two runs came home.

The Sox didn't take long to respond, tying the game in the home half of the fourth when, with Millar aboard with a one-out walk, Mirabelli launched his ninth homer of the season into the first few rows of bleachers in center field.

After falling behind in the top of the second, the Red Sox responded quickly with a run in the bottom of the inning.

Nixon continued his blistering hitting against the Yankees by singling to left with one out. Mirabelli joined him on base when he was hit by a pitch from Vazquez.

A wild pitch enabled Nixon to move to third and Cabrera flied to deep center, scoring Nixon with ease.