BOSTON - You don’t need to see a hitter bash home runs to know that he is locked in at the plate.

Sometimes you can tell from a single.

That was the case with Manny Ramirez in the third.

Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jackson was throwing heat to Ramirez, touching 96 mph on the radar gun reading in center field. Ramirez fell behind in the count at 1 and 2. Somehow, he managed to fight off three pitches, barely fouling off a couple of sizzling fastballs.

Then Jackson, a right-hander, fired in another 96-mph heater. This one was up, most likely a ball.

Ramirez, though, was somehow able to get on top of the high heat. He was quick enough to recognize the pitch and location, get his hands above the ball and not only did he get the bat on it, he crushed a line-drive RBI single to center, putting Boston on top, 3-0.

Clearly, Ramirez is locked in at the plate, the pressure of homer number 500 behind him (he has 502). He’s relaxed and has stretched his hitting streak to 10 games.

skrasner@projo.com