NEW YORK - Manny Ramirez's liner leading off the 12th inning hit the wall in right-center with such a thud it knocked the energy out of the soldout Yankee Stadium crowd.
Ramirez ended up scoring the winner on Mark Bellhorn's sacrifice fly, and the Red Sox defeated the Yankees 3-2 Saturday, their fifth win in six games this season against their bitter rival.
Scott Williamson, Alan Embree, Keith Foulke and Mike Timlin, who got his first save, held the struggling New York offense without a run for six innings, increasing the bullpen's scoreless streak to 222/3 innings.
"Our role is to go out there and hold them," said Foulke, who got the win. "The guys in the dugout are going to score some runs."
The Yankees are 31/2 games out of first for the first time since May 15, 2002, when they trailed the Red Sox by four, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Alex Rodriguez nearly spoiled the Red Sox's day on his own.
Boston jumped out to a 2-0 lead with an assist from Yankees starter Kevin Brown, but Rodriguez brought New York to 2-1 in the fourth with his first homer in pinstripes. He helped tie it in the seventh when he scored on Gary Sheffield's single.
A-Rod, whom Boston tried to acquire in the offseason, also possibly saved two runs in the third with a diving stop of Kevin Millar's grounder behind third base. He made the throw from foul territory to retire Millar.
RANGERS 3, MARINERS 0: Hank Blalock hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth as host Texas moved two games over .500 for the first time in almost four years. The Rangers have not been two games over since June 8, 2000, when they were 30-28. Jay Powell allowed one hit in two innings, and Jeff Nelson finished the seven-hitter against his former team for his first save. Joaquin Benoit allowed five hits over six innings in his first start this season.
JAYS 5, ORIOLES 4 (12): Frank Catalanotto hit a tiebreaking single in the 12th to lead visiting Toronto. Chris Woodward led off the inning by doubling off the leftfield wall against Mike DeJean. Catalanotto followed with a single through the hole at shortstop. Kerry Ligtenberg pitched two scoreless innings for the Blue Jays, off to a franchise-worst 5-12 start. Carlos Delgado tied it at 3 with a homer in the fifth off Rick Bauer.
TIGERS 5, INDIANS 2: Rondell White hit a three-run homer off Chad Durbin in the ninth for host Detroit. Fernando Vina led off the inning with a bloop single to right off Scott Stewart, and Durbin intentionally walked Ivan Rodriguez. Detroit, which lost an AL-record 119 games last season, improved to 11-7. The Tigers didn't get their 11th win last season until May 23. Cleveland loaded the bases in its half of the ninth off Ugueth Urbina, but Matt Lawton popped out to shortstop. Omar Vizquel then tried to score from third, but he was thrown out by Carlos Guillen.
ANGELS 6, A'S 3: Vladimir Guerrero hit his fifth homer of the season to help Kelvim Escobar recover from a shaky start and get his first win for visiting Anaheim. Escobar allowed three runs in five innings for the victory. Four pitchers combined for four scoreless innings of relief to finish it, with Troy Percival getting his fourth save. Mark Redman gave up five runs and 10 hits in 51/3 innings. Erubiel Durazo made it 3-0 in the second with his first homer this season for Oakland.
ROYALS 10, TWINS 1: Carlos Beltran homered and tripled on his 27th birthday to help host Kansas City win for the second time in 10 games. Beltran, tied for the AL lead with seven homers, hit a shot in the third off Seth Greisinger. Shawn Camp, who replaced injured starter Darrell May, worked 32/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, for his first major-league win.
