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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BOSTON (AP) -- Ramon Martinez wasn't concerned when he spotted
the Minnesota Twins five runs in the first inning.
After all, he'd been in that position before.
|  | | Ramon Martinez gave up five runs in the first inning, but settled down to earn his ninth win. |
Martinez retired 16 of 17 batters after allowing back-to-back
homers in the first inning -- including the first career grand slam
by David Ortiz -- and Jose Offerman homered twice to rally the
Boston Red Sox to an 11-6 victory over Minnesota on Thursday.
"He bent but he didn't break," Boston manager Jimy Williams
said of his starter. "It's a nine-inning game. And we hadn't even
been up yet."
Offerman, who also homered on Wednesday night, had three hits
and scored four times in the second multihomer game of his career.
Dante Bichette also homered for the second consecutive game and
Lou Merloni had three hits for the Red Sox, who play their next
seven games against the AL East-leading Yankees and the wild
card-leading Indians.
"We have to play some very big games this weekend," Martinez
said. "The next seven games are going to be very interesting."
Ortiz hit his first career grand slam, then Corey Koskie
followed with a homer off Martinez to give the Twins a fast 5-0
lead. But Martinez (9-6) settled down after that -- a pattern he has
followed all season.
Twenty-nine of the 74 runs he has allowed this season have been
in the first, giving him an ERA of 11.35 in the first inning and
4.62 in the rest. Overall, he gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings on
eight hits on Thursday while matching a season high with seven
strikeouts.
"I don't worry about the first inning, because I don't want
that to get into my head," he said. "If you go out there and you
give up five or six or whatever number of runs, you don't have to
give up. You never give up. You give the team a chance to come
back, and that's what happened today."
Eric Milton (12-9) also allowed six runs on eight hits, walking
one and striking out four, but he only lasted 3 1/3 innings as the
Twins allowed 16 hits in all and lost for the seventh time in nine
games. He gave up Offerman's solo homer in the first and Merloni's
RBI single in the second before being chased in Boston's five-run
fourth.
"The Red Sox hit them hard, they hit them soft and they hit
them everywhere," Twins manager Tom Kelly said. "They had 16, 18,
20 hits, whatever. Milton left it over the plate, and they hit it
over, out and everywhere. And the rest of them were like that,
too."
Bichette led off the fourth with a homer, then Troy O'Leary
singled, Jason Varitek walked and Merloni singled to load the
bases. One out later, Darren Lewis hit a two-run double to finish
off Milton.
John Cressend walked Offerman, then Carl Everett hit a grounder
to first baseman Ron Coomer, who threw Merloni out at the plate.
But when catcher Chad Moeller tried to make the relay to first, the
throw went wide of the base and into right field for an error,
allowing Lewis to score.
Nomar Garciaparra, the ninth batter of the inning, singled to
center to score Offerman, but Torii Hunter threw Everett out at
home, on a fly.
Game notes
Bichette, who was acquired on Aug. 31 before playoff
rosters were set, hit his second homer with Boston to go with 16 in
Cincinnati. ... The game was a makeup of the one rained out on July
26. Although there were several thousand empty seats, it was
considered a sellout because the original game tickets were all
sold. It was Boston's 57th sellout of the season and the 47th in a
row. ... The Red Sox have 12 of their next 16 games against either
the Yankees, who lead the AL East, or Cleveland, which leads the AL
wild-card race. ... Martinez has allowed at least one run the first
inning in 12 of 23 starts. Eight times he has allowed more than one
run. ... Boston reliever Rich Garces left with a right groin strain
after getting two outs. ... Merloni had three hits for the fourth
time in 17 starts. ... Milton was 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA in eight
starts coming into the game. ... Boston finished the season 8-2
against Minnesota. ... It was Offerman's first multihomer game of
his career. He had no Fenway homers this season until Wednesday
night.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
Boston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 11
Minnesota 6
Tampa Bay 4
Cleveland 3
Anaheim 6
Detroit 4
Seattle 8
Toronto 1
Chi. White Sox 10
Texas 6
NY Yankees 7
Kansas City 3
St. Louis 6
Montreal 1
Houston 7
Florida 3
Atlanta 4
Arizona 0
San Francisco 13
San Diego 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Lou Merloni gives credit to Ramon Martinez. (WFXT)
wav: 116 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Dante Bichette talks about the importance of scoring early. (WFXT)
wav: 142 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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