BOSTON -- Willy Aybar took an unusual approach to facing Tim Wakefield last night. As a switch hitter, he usually bats lefty against righthanders, and righty against lefthanders. But with the right-handed, knuckleballing Wakefield on the mound, the Tampa DH chose to swing from his natural right side.

It worked.

Aybar blasted a shot over the Green Monster, one of the longest bombs of his four-year career.

"It's probably one of the farthest balls I've ever hit," Aybar said through a translator.

Aybar said he only bats righty against right-handers when they throw the knuckler, something he's been doing through his baseball career.

Aybar was 4 for 5 on the night, with 5 RBI.

"It was a great night personally, but the whole team did well, and that's what counts," Aybar said.

dbarbari@projo.com