BOSTON — David Ortiz has been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee since the middle of the 2006 season, the Sox slugger said last night.

Speaking to reporters after last night’s game, Ortiz said he hurt his knee during batting practice at Yankee Stadium last summer, probably during the series June 6-8. Ortiz said when he twisted his leg to field a bunt, his knee turned but his spike got caught in the netting that protects the grass in front of home plate.

Ortiz said he hasn’t needed surgery because the knee is free of inflammation.

“It wasn’t anything major,” he said. “I just kept playing through it last year. This year, it’s been bothering me more than it used to.”

Ortiz was limping around after hitting the same knee with a foul ball in the eighth inning last night.

“It hurt, but I’m fine,” he said.

The Red Sox have a 10-game lead over the Yankees in the A.L. East, and Ortiz was asked if it might make sense to fix the problem now and be 100 percent for the playoffs.

“I don’t want to get out of the lineup right now,” he said. “I have days where I feel fine. I’m just going to get through the season.”

Ramirez nabs Thomas

Manny Ramirez racked up his fifth assist of the season, making a nice throw and benefiting from the fact that it was Frank Thomas, one of the slowest runners in baseball, trying to stretch a base hit into a double.

Thomas, leading off the fourth, laced a shot into the left-field corner. It was a gimme double for virtually anyone in the league, but Ramirez turned to the wall and expertly played the carom off the wall, quickly turned back to the field and uncorked a high throw toward second. Thomas, who has been slowed by foot injuries late in his career, was laboring toward the bag.

Ramirez’s spin-a-rama delivery was right on the money. Thomas was a dead duck, and the Jays were losing, 5-1, at the time, making it an even worse gamble by the Toronto designated hitter.

“I told him he lobbed a grenade to second base and it worked out perfectly,” joked right fielder J.D. Drew. “I don’t know if he knows where he’s throwing it, but he gets rid of it quickly.”

Schilling making progress

Curt Schilling played catch yesterday and is slated to throw 30-35 pitches in a side session today. The right-hander hasn’t thrown off the mound since his start in Atlanta on June 18, when he was raked for 6 runs on 10 hits in only 4 1/3 innings. He has been on the disabled list because of tendinitis in his right shoulder.

“He has been doing well, how we hoped. The ball has been coming out of his hand well. I’m excited to see him off the mound. That’s the next test,” said manager Terry Francona.

Two other injured right-handers are on the verge of returning to Boston’s bullpen.

Boston will activate Joel Pineiro (sprained ankle) from the disabled list for tonight’s game and outrighted first baseman Jeff Bailey to Pawtucket.

Brendan Donnelly will throw an inning for Lowell tonight. After that session, the Sox will decide if he is ready to return to Boston.

Lugo’s bat warming up

Julio Lugo got the benefit of the doubt from the official scorer on an infield single in the first. And he drilled a single to center in the third, running his streak to five straight hits, going back to his 3-for-3 performance in Detroit the last day before the All-Star break. His string ended at five when he lined out to left in the sixth.

Wakefield gets 10th win

Tim Wakefield was credited with the win, improving to 10-8.

The knuckleballer has had a decision in each of his 18 starts this season, becoming just the 17th pitcher since 1980 to earn a decision in each of his first 18 starts and the first Red Sox pitcher to do so since Pedro Martinez (15-3) in 1999.

Wakefield was cruising along until surrendering back-to-back homers to Matt Stairs (Sox’ bullpen) and Alex Rios (Monster seats) in the sixth.

“I thought (Stairs’ homer) was an out and unfortunately sometimes with the wind here, a fly ball to right gets into the bullpen,” said Wakefield. “I thought I threw Rios a really good pitch inside – Dougie (catcher Doug Mirabelli) said it was probably the best knuckleball I threw all night – but it was just right in his swing path and unfortunately it left the ballpark.”

Associated Press contributed to this report

skrasner@projo.com