Red Sox React, Win

Derek Lowe wasn’t going to just watch Manny Ramirez get hit by a pitch.

Lowe pitched six scoreless innings for his 14th victory and helped instigate a bench-clearing brawl with a retaliation pitch as the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles, 12-3, Sunday at Boston.

Lowe hit Gary Matthews Jr. with the first pitch of the fourth inning after watching Ramirez get hit by a pitch for the sixth time this season an inning earlier.

“If it was the first time Manny got hit ... ,” Lowe said. “You’ve got to protect your superstars.”

Matthews and Baltimore reliever Willis Roberts were ejected after the brawl, along with Boston pitching coach Tony Cloninger. There appeared to be very few punches thrown.

“We don’t initiate anything,” Boston Manager Grady Little said. “We do a good job of retaliating before it gets too far out of balance.”

The Red Sox had been irked that Ramirez was hit twice against Tampa Bay on July 18, and no suspensions came of it.

Lowe (14-5), who lowered his major league-leading earned-run average to 2.23, gave up four hits, walked two and struck out two.

The Red Sox broke it open with five runs in the third, all coming with two out. Jason Varitek doubled in the first run after Nomar Garciaparra singled and Ramirez was hit by a pitch. Shea Hillenbrand followed with a run-scoring single, and Varitek scored on the same play on shortstop Melvin Mora’s throwing error.

Cleveland 9, Detroit 6--Jim Thome, in what could have been his last at-bat for the Indians at Jacobs Field, hit a grand slam with one out in the ninth inning to rally Cleveland.

Thome went three for four with five runs batted in, including his second grand slam this season and seventh of his career.

The first baseman can become a free agent after the season and has been a constant subject of trade rumors despite saying he will not void a no-trade clause in his contract.

Oakland 12, Texas 2--Barry Zito became the American League’s first 15-game winner after Miguel Tejada drove in six runs in the last two innings at Arlington, Texas.

Tejada gave Oakland a 4-2 lead with a three-run homer in the eighth and hit a bases-loaded double in the ninth. The A’s scored 11 runs against the Ranger bullpen.

Minnesota 4, Toronto 0--Johan Santana gave up two hits and struck out a career-high 13 in eight innings at Minneapolis to lead the Twins to their fourth consecutive victory.

Torii Hunter went three for four with a solo homer for the Twins, who maintained a 14-game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.

Chicago 4, Kansas City 2--Royce Clayton went three for four with two doubles, and three relievers combined to retire the last 15 batters to help the White Sox complete a three-game sweep at Chicago. Bob Howry (2-2) retired the nine batters he faced.