BOSTON -- Forget that Red Sox starter David Wells allowed eight runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs last night against the Cleveland Indians.

Forget he lasted just 4 2/3 innings.

It didn't matter.

Boston finished the game in dramatic fashion as David Ortiz crushed a three-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth for a 9-8 victory over Cleveland at Fenway Park.

"You could see the place was getting electric," said Boston manager Terry Francona. "With Manny on deck and when (Cleveland reliever Fausto Carmona) fell behind (2-0), you knew Ortiz was going to get a good swing. He is so strong and he's so much fun to watch."

Ortiz's heroics are becoming second-nature around these parts.

"The guy had to make a pitch," said Ortiz. "He didn't want the bases loaded with a hitter like Manny coming up. . . . (I) just put a good swing on it. I got a good pitch and a pitch I can drive."

For all intents and purposes, last night's start was a rehab stint for Wells, the veteran left-hander who hadn't started a game since May 26. That alone made his brief outing a success. The Red Sox need help in their starting rotation, and if Wells can continue to build off last night, he can help the club down the stretch.

More impressive then Wells' return, and almost more impressive than Big Papi's 37th homer and fifth walk-off hit of the season, was

the relief outing turned in by Kyle Snyder.

"I hope what doesn't get overlook is what Kyle Snyder did tonight," said Francona. "That was unbelievable."

Knowing there was a chance Wells' outing could be a brief one, Francona spoke with Snyder Sunday night and gave him the game plan, telling him he would be the first on in relief if Wells faltered. When Francona gave Snyder the signal last night, the right-hander literally sprinted from the dugout to the bullpen to get warm.

"He pitched so well," said the manager. "That's a big lift. That's probably why I like this team so much, because guys do things like that."

"I'll take the ball whenever Tito gives it to me," said Snyder. "I mixed it up well and kept them off balance. Whatever it takes to contribute to the success of this team, I'm willing to do it. For me personally, this performance was overwhelming."

The right-hander entered the game in the fifth inning and retired 13 of the 14 batters he faced, allowing just one hit to the Indians' Grady Sizemore. Snyder originally was scheduled to start tonight's game, but that job will go to right-hander Jason Johnson, who will be called up from Pawtucket. Johnson was acquired by the Sox from Cleveland on June 21. He is 2-0 with a 3.32 E.R.A for the PawSox.

When Wells first emerged from the dugout to start the game, he gave a fist-pump to Francona. It's been a trying season for the 43-year-old, who has battled knee problems ever since off-season surgery landed him on the disabled list to start the year. And just two days after coming off the DL to make his first start on April 12 against Toronto, he went right back on it.

When he returned on May 26, he was solid in his first outing against Tampa Bay. Unfortunately for him and the Red Sox, a line drive off the bat of Devil Rays' Travis Lee struck him squarely in the right knee. It appeared at the time that Wells' career was over.

He had other thoughts.

Last night he returned and retired the side in order in the first inning. He received a little help from his offense when Manny Ramirez belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the first for a 2-0 lead.

Wells, however, faulted a little in the second and allowed three runs on three hits, including a home run by the Indians' Casey Blake.

Boston responded again with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second thanks to Wily Mo Pena's two-run triple. Wells surrendered two more in the third, but Ortiz crushed his 37th homer of the season in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 5-5.

Pena, who is in the lineup due to Trot Nixon's biceps injury, hammered a solo home run through the left-field light tower in the bottom of the fourth to give the Sox a 6-5 lead, but it didn't last long.

Blake had Wells' number all night and provided his second homer of the game, a three-run shot in the top of the fifth inning, for an 8-6 Cleveland advantage.

The Indians' Jhonny Peralta followed with a single, and that was the end the road for Wells.

Snyder kept the Indians' offense at bay and that set up Ortiz's walk-off homer in the ninth. Alex Cora led off the inning with a single off Carmona, and Kevin Youkilis then battled back from an 0-2 count to gain a walk. After Mark Loretta popped up, Ortiz lined a shot into the centerfield bleachers, much to the delight of the sell-out crowd on hand.

It was a gutsy performance all-around for Boston last night and Ortiz struggled to find the words to describe it.

"I don't know, man," he said. "You got to do what you got to do."

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