01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, April 18, 2006

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writers

BOSTON -- Nearly lost in the Red Sox' thrilling comeback win over the Seattle Mariners was the job turned in by starter Lenny DiNardo. DiNardo had been out of the game for four innings when Mark Loretta 's two-run homer set off pandemonium at Fenway during yesterday's Patriots Day matinee. But the contribution wasn't forgotten.

Taking the spot of David Wells (knee) in the rotation and making his first start since last September, DiNardo limited the Mariners to two runs over five innings. He allowed six hits, walked one and fanned another.

"I'm ecstatic right now," said DiNardo after the celebration wound down, "more for the 'W' than anything else. I felt my stuff was getting better throughout the game. I was just trying to put the ball in play and give it to the defense and let them take over."

Indeed, after DiNardo gave up solo runs in the both the first and second innings, he blanked the Mariners over the final three innings. He got double plays in the third and fourth to erase baserunners, then retired the M's in order in the fifth, despite a fastball that seldom registered above the low 80s on the radar gun.

"I thought as the game progressed, he got a little more comfortable," said Boston manager Terry Francona. "It probably helped that when he got into the flow of the game, the ball started sinking a little better. I thought he did a good job -- five innings and keeping us right in the game is what we needed today."

"He did a good job keeping us in reach," agreed catcher Jason Varitek. It's expected that DiNardo will get another start on Saturday in Toronto when Wells' turn comes around again. After 33 career appearances with the Sox, DiNardo is still searching for his first major-league win.

Ramirez's stroke returning

Through 13 games, Manny Ramirez still doesn't have an extra-base hit -- the longest such streak of his Red Sox career -- but Ramirez showed signs that be may be ready to bust out at the plate.

After striking out against Gil Meche in the first, Ramirez followed with two singles in each of his next two at-bats -- both of them hard hits off The Wall. The second, which came in the sixth, was hit high off The Wall and would have been out of most ballparks. But at Fenway, Ramirez has to settle for long singles.

"I said before the game that when he started hitting, he'd hit doubles," said Francona. "But you have to take The Wall into account. He hit two lasers -- that's a good sign."

Even after grounding out in the eighth, Ramirez boosted his average to .239 for the season.

Impressive return for Nixon

For the first time since the home opener, Trot Nixon was in the starting lineup, after missing five games with a slight left groin strain.

Nixon wasted no time at the plate, singling in his first trip and later adding two doubles to right.

"He looked good, didn't he?" asked Francona. "He really looked good. I thought he moved well. When he's in there, it makes our lineup a little different."

With Tampa Bay lefty Casey Fossum scheduled to oppose the Sox tonight, Nixon will get a night off. He's set to return tomorrow night to face right-hander Doug Waechter, then sit out again in the series finale Thursday when southpaw Scott Kazmir pitches for the Rays. Varitek ailing Jason Varitek has been nursing a sore gluteus muscle since spring training and limped noticeably on a groundout to second in the second inning, but remained in the game.

"It's something I've had to battle the last couple of months," said the catcher. "It just stiffened up on me."

Around the bases

Gabe Kapler (ruptured Achilles tendon) continues to increase his workload and has been cleared to do some light running. He's still three-to-four weeks away from being able to begin a rehab assignment in the minors. . . . David Ortiz has five homers in seven games at Fenway this season. Yesterday was his 21st two-homer game of his career and 19th as a member of the Red Sox. The second homer was his 125th since joining the Sox and 500th hit since coming to Boston. . . . The Sox improved to 63-48 on Patriots Day and have won five of the last six holiday matchups.

smcadam@projo.com / (401) 277-7340