Red Sox Turn to Ramirez, Ortiz

Forced to play without Pedro Martinez, the Boston Red Sox used their big bats to beat the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park.

Manny Ramirez homered and drove in three runs, and David Ortiz hit a three-run homer Thursday night as the Red Sox avoided a three-game sweep and pulled within a game of the Athletics in the wild-card race with a 14-5 victory.

Boston also pulled within seven games of the idle New York Yankees in the East Division. The Red Sox open a four-game series against West Division-leading Seattle tonight.

Martinez was scratched from his scheduled start because of a severe sore throat and fever that sent him to the hospital for tests. He was given medication and was home resting by late afternoon.

In his place, left-hander Casey Fossum (6-5) gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings for the win. He walked three and struck out two.

Oakland starter Rich Harden (3-3) walked seven and gave up four hits and eight earned runs in only 2 2/3 innings.

Toronto 7, Seattle 3 -- Mark Hendrickson took a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning and the Blue Jays beat the Mariners, who opened a seven-game trip by losing two of three at SkyDome.

Hendrickson (8-9), who grew up in Mount Vernon, Wash., and played baseball and basketball at Washington State, yielded two runs and four hits.

The 6-foot-9 former NBA player didn’t give up a run until Randy Winn singled in the eighth and Dan Wilson hit a two-run homer.

With the bases loaded in the eighth, reliever Trever Miller walked John Olerud and the Mariners trailed, 5-3. Miller then struck out Mike Cameron to get out of the jam.

Minnesota 4, Kansas City 3 -- Shannon Stewart hit a game-tying, three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning and the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh to help the Twins knock the Royals out of first place in the Central Division.

The Royals, Chicago White Sox and Twins all began the day within a half-game of each other. The last time Minnesota was ahead of Kansas City was June 30.

Kansas City starter Paul Abbott took a no-hitter and a 3-0 lead into the sixth but got into trouble and gave up the home run to Stewart, who drove in A.J. Pierzynski with a single in the seventh off former Angel Al Levine (3-6).

Chicago 7, Texas 3 -- The White Sox moved into first place in the Central Division with the victory at Chicago. They are one game ahead of Kansas City and remained a half-game ahead of Minnesota.

The White Sox had not led the division since Aug. 8 and had been in first place for only three days this season.

Bartolo Colon (11-11) won for the first time in three starts, giving up three runs and six hits in seven innings. He took a one-hitter into the sixth before Alex Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro hit consecutive homers.

Palmeiro reached 30 homers for the ninth straight year and has 520 overall. Rodriguez, who leads the league with 37, has homered in five straight games.

Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 4 -- Tony Batista homered leading off the bottom of the 10th inning as the Orioles, who trailed, 4-0, in the seventh, rallied for their second straight win after an eight-game losing streak.

Batista homered on the second pitch from Jesus Colome (3-7).