Rays/MLB

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The Sox have an uncanny ability to come back, having won three consecutive games this week on walkoff hits and seven for the season.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published August 4, 2006

WHAT'S NEW: Injuries keep piling up, with the knee injury to captain and catcher Jason Varitek the latest blow, but the Red Sox have thus far found a way to keep winning as they battle the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Wily Mo Pena and Doug Mirabelli have stepped in and, according to media reports, the Red Sox are on the verge of acquiring veteran catcher Javy Lopez from Baltimore. The Sox also have an uncanny ability to come back, having won three consecutive games this week on walkoff hits and seven for the season. Overall, they have 32 come-from-behind victories and are 18-10 in one-run games. As they struggle to find five healthy starters, they have gotten some extraordinary work from rookie closer Jonathan Papelbon, who has 29 saves, three wins and a mind-boggling 0.50 ERA, having allowed three earned runs in 54 innings over 47 games. Of course, having David Ortiz (who already has 105 RBIs) and Manny Ramirez in the middle of the lineup doesn't hurt.

INJURIES: Two key position players, Varitek and rightfielder Trot Nixon, are on the DL, along with starters Matt Clement and Tim Wakefield and relievers Keith Foulke and Lenny DiNardo.

KEEP IN MIND: Ortiz will again be challenged by the Rays' 34 defensive shift; in seven games at the Trop this season he has been held to a .231 average but has four homers and five walks. . . .Ramirez has reached the 30-homer mark for the ninth straight season and the 11th overall in his career. . . . The Sox have gotten at least one extra-base hit in 30 straight games.

WHO'S HOT: Ramirez has a 19-game hitting streak, batting .391 (27-for-69) with six homers and 21 RBIs over that stretch.

WHO'S NOT: 3B Mike Lowell is hitting .197 (12-for-61) over his past 16 games with just four RBIs, and .229 (24-for-105) over his past 27.

SERIES: The Red Sox lead 8-6 this season, though the Rays have won five of seven at the Trop, including three of four during a July 3-6 series. Overall, the Sox lead 95-50, including 43-40 at the Trop.

[Last modified August 4, 2006, 06:28:20]