David Ortiz ties the game with a homer in the eighth and adds the game-winning single in the ninth as Boston overtakes Toronto and goes into the Yankee series on a positive note.

01:21 AM EDT on Friday, September 30, 2005

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Another night, another MVP moment brought to you by David Ortiz. Actually, a pair of them, making a few more emphatic statements for voters of the award.

Big Papi tied the game with a homer into the Monster seats in the eighth inning, then delivered the game-winner, smacking a single through shortstop with one out in the ninth as the Boston Red Sox captured an exhilarating 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

All of which sends the Red Sox into this weekend's regular-season-ending three-game series against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on an emotional high with a playoff berth still on the line, and the American League East title still within their grasp.

Boston enters the series trailing New York by one game in the A.L. East, and tied with Cleveland for the top spot in the wild-card race.

If the Red Sox sweep the series, they'll capture the crown. If they take two of three, a playoff game might have to be played, depending on what the Indians do in their final series, three games in Chicago against the White Sox, who already have won the A.L. Central.

Journal photo / Gretchen Ertl

David Ortiz celebrates after smacking the game-winning single to left field in the ninth inning of last night's crucial 5-4 win over the Blue Jays at Fenway.

Things get dicey after that, with the possiblity of a three-way tie clouding the issue, but that will play itself out over the weekend. What played out last night was a comeback for the Red Sox, who battled back from a 4-1 deficit after another so-so outing by starter Matt Clement.

"I thought from the first pitch to the last pitch we played with amazing confidence," said manager Terry Francona. "Even when we were behind. We just had that feel. I don't know how to explain it. But we felt like we were going to win this somehow. That's real special about this ballclub."

Fortunately for the Sox, they boast two very special power hitters, and both Manny Ramirez and Ortiz came through in the clutch when the scoreboard was showing they were going to lose ground to the Yankees and the Indians if they didn't come back for a triumph.

Ramirez pulled the Sox to within 4-3 on a two-run homer, his 42nd round-tripper of the year, after Ortiz's infield roller had been turned into an infield hit by Jays shortstop Russ Adams.

And then Ortiz took over. He crushed his 47th homer of the year off Vinnie Chulk, leading off the eighth and knotting the game at 4-4. He was well prepared for the at-bat.

"When I saw him warming up I went to the video," said Ortiz, who checked out his at-bats against Chulk earlier this year.

"He likes to throw the ball that looks like a strike and then drops down when it gets to the plate and you hit a ground ball. When the count went to 2 and 0, I was looking for a ball that he might get up a little. I didn't try to pull it," he said.

He hit it where it was pitched, and it settled into the seats, touching off a wild celebration.

Ortiz now boasts the second-highest single-season homer total in Red Sox history, trailing only Jimmie Foxx' 50 in 1938. It was his 11th in September, a new club record for the month. And it was his 20th homer that either tied the score or put the Red Sox ahead.

The Sox wasted a first-and-third, none-out chance to go ahead, achieved on some daring baserunning by Ramirez who went from first to third on a single by Jason Varitek.

In the ninth, though, they didn't waste their chance. Johnny Damon singled with one out off Jays' closer Miguel Batista, stole second and stayed there as Edgar Renteria walked. Up stepped Big Papi, in the right place at the right time. And he drilled the full-count pitch past Adams for the game-winner.

"We got a lot of extraordinary efforts from a lot of people for this one," said Francona.

Indeed, rookie right-hander Jonathan Papelbon, who got the win, deserved some credit, blanking the Jays for 2 2/3 innings. So did Varitek, whose block of a pitch in the dirt with the bases loaded and the Jays on top, 4-1, in the fifth proved big.

And now, it's time for the Yankees and the Red Sox to settle the A.L. East. There will be less scoreboard watching for Ortiz and his teammates.

"I want to get the scoreboard off the field," joked Ortiz. "After we're hitting we're watching the scoreboard. After we pitch we're watching the scoreboard. we saw them (the Yankees and the Indians) score six runs early and we're playing a team that's killing us. But we have a lot of veterans who know how to concentrate on the game we're playing."

Players such as David Ortiz, who comes through seemingly every day for the Red Sox.