BOSTON -- Tempers were flaring all over Fenway Park last night.

And it wasn’t just the Sox versus the Rays.

There also was a little Sox-versus-Sox dugout action, with Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez getting into a heated verbal battle that forced teammates, coaches and trainers to separate the duo.

The intramural strife occurred after the bottom of the fourth, in which Boston had tallied three runs for a 7-1 lead. Two of the runs came on a single by Ramirez.

Whatever prompted the issue, Tim Wakefield and trainer Tim Lessard forcefully escorted Ramirez away from Youkilis.Youkilis and Ramirez, who trained together in the offseason in Arizona, had some sort of disagreement, but no details are known.Youkilis and Ramirez were unavailable for comment.

“We had a lot of testosterone going on tonight,” manager Terry Francona said. “It wasn’t that big a deal.Ramirez didn’t make it through the game, apparently aggravating his tight right hamstring and leaving for a pinch runner in the seventh.

Ramirez took a pitch that made the count full in leading off the inning. As he did so, his leg seemed to give on him. He did a little hop in the batter’s box and flexed the leg, bringing Francona and Lessard back out of the dugout yet again.

Ramirez drew a walk. He trotted gingerly to first base. Francona came out and talked briefly with him.

After Mike Lowell flied out on the first pitch, backup catcher Kevin Cash ran from the bullpen to the Red Sox dugout. One pitch into Sean Casey’s at-bat, Cash replaced Ramirez on the bases.

Francona said Ramirez was treated after he left the game.

skrasner@projo.com