BOSTON -- How do you know when you're climbing out of a slump?

Just check out Kevin Youkilis. Heading into Friday night's game, Youkilis was batting .230 in a 113-at-bat stretch over 28 games.

But, as former Red Sox manager Joe Morgan used to say, "the worm turns" eventually, the luck starting to change. As it seemingly has with Youkilis.

Friday night, the Boston first baseman had a pair of hits -- a checked-swing single to right and an infield single on a roller to short that Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera couldn't get out of his glove.

That change in fortune continued yesterday. In Youkilis' first at-bat, he hit a checked-swing roller down the third-base line, a ball that looked like a perfectly placed bunt. Youkilis was safe at first without a throw for his third hit of the series.

Those cheap hits provided the impetus to two more big hits later in yesterday's game.

Youkilis drilled a double off the Green Monster in left-center in the ninth, putting the Sox in position to win the game.

When that didn't happen, he got to bat again, and this time he blooped a single to right in the 11th, helping to set up David Ortiz for the walkoff single.

So over the last two games Youkilis has gone 5-for-11, raising his average from .293 to .297.

Growing pains

The Sox know that their young pitchers are going to have to endure some growing pains. And they can be painful not only for the pitchers, but also the team.

One night after Manny Delcarmen and Javier Lopez let a game get away, rookie right-hander Craig Hansen entered a tie game in the seventh yesterday and was tagged for a two-run homer by Curtis Pride, who had stints in Boston in 1997 and 2000.

Pride turned on a fastball about thigh high on the inner third of the plate.

"The pitch was on the total opposite side of the plate from where I wanted it. I knew it was going to be a mistake when I let it go. At this level, you make a mistake and they hit it hard. Sometimes they hit it hard right at somebody. Unfortunately, he hit it hard to a fan," said Hansen with a wry smile.

Just keeps getting better

This might not be good news for the rest of the American League, but Jonathan Papelbon feels he is still getting better.

The Sox closer pitched two perfect innings after he was entered the game in the ninth. Papelbon liked getting the extra work.

"I was able to put my slider in there today, as well, and throw different pitches," he said. "It was definitely good to get two (innings)."

The league leader in saves (29) said he is beginning to throw more sliders.

"In the beginning of the season I was just trying to get my feet wet and get command of the zone," he said. "Now that I've got my grasp, I can throw a slider a little bit more, give them another pitch to look for."

Fenway phenomenon

Terry Francona gets asked a lot of unusual questions in his role as Sox manager, but he heard one yesterday he never would have thought possible.

"Did you ever think," Francona was asked in a quiet and otherwise uneventful pregame meeting, "that you'd see the day when Fenway Park was last in the majors in home runs?"

Francona, who was fully aware of the statistic, laughed when the topic was brought up.

"It's a phenomenon," he said.

But it's true. Even with home runs yesterday by Ortiz for the Sox and Pride for the Angels, Fenway has seen fewer home runs than any park in the majors.

In 47 games, there had been only 80 homers, 44 by Boston and 36 for the opponents. The two parks closest to Boston are Angel Stadium of Anaheim and AT&T Park in San Francisco, each of which has yielded 85 home runs.

Until Ortiz homered to lead off the eighth, Fenway fans had gone 30 innings without seeing a Sox home run, going back to a fourth-inning blast by Manny Ramirez against Kansas City on July 19th.

There had been only five homers hit in the eight previous games at Fenway. The visiting team had gone 75 innings without a round-tripper, going back to when Mark Ellis hit one on July 14, until Pride drilled his over the Sox bullpen.

Boston has not hit two home runs in a game at Fenway since June 29 against the Mets, when Mark Loretta and Ortiz connected. The team has pounded 88 home runs in 55 road games. The Sox average of 1.6 on the road leads the majors. But they are averaging only 0.96 at home.

"There are extenuating circumstance," Francona said. He pointed to the weather. "We've had so many days with the wind blowing straight in."

Josh Beckett, the starter yesterday, is dramatic proof of how different the Sox have been home and away. Beckett has allowed more home runs than any major league pitcher, with 28. But he has allowed only five in 10 starts at Fenway. He has been tagged for 23 on the road, including the first 16 he gave up this season.

In each of the two previous seasons, Fenway was 20th among the 30 major-league parks in home runs produced. It was eighth in 2003 and 23rd in 2002.

Good news for Foulke

Initial reports from Keith Foulke's outing at Lowell Friday night were positive. He threw 12 pitches, 10 for strikes.

Matt Clement threw a side session before yesterday's game.

"He threw about 60 to 75 percent," Francona reported. "Again, no twinges, no apprehension."

Clement will throw again tomorow. David Wells remains on target to return tomorrow night.

Around the bases

Trot Nixon's single to right in the fourth was his 900th major-league hit. . . . Ramirez singled in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. . . . The home run Hansen gave up to Pride was only the fourth the Sox' bullpen has given up in the last 23 games, covering 79 2/3 innings.

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

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