By The Associated Press
Boston roughs up Andy Pettitte to pull to within 2 1/2 games of New York.

NEW YORK – The Boston Red Sox gave Pedro Martinez a lead he couldn’t lose and quickly turned this one into a laugher.

Johnny Damon tripled with the bases loaded Friday night and the Red Sox roughed up Andy Pettitte in a 9-3 victory over the Yankees that cut New York’s AL East lead to 21/2 games.

Martinez (11-4) struck out nine in six easy innings, cruising to his first win in four starts against the Yankees this season. Boston had not been so close to first place since Aug. 7.

With an 8-0 lead by the third, Martinez even enjoyed a chuckle on the mound at the expense of absent-minded teammate Manny Ramirez.

The left fielder, never known for his defense, made a terrific running catch at the wall in the fourth. Ramirez then threw the ball into the stands and began to jog in, thinking there were three outs.

Martinez flashed an impish smile and put up two fingers, for two outs, and covered his mouth with his glove. Ramirez also laughed at his mistake.

Ramirez was the center of attention all week after he missed last weekend’s series against New York at Fenway Park with a sore throat and fever, yet managed to pull himself out of bed to reminisce with Yankees infielder Enrique Wilson about their Cleveland days.

On Sunday, Ramirez didn’t show up for an appointment with the team doctor, and when he joined the team Monday he sat on the bench but said he was “too weak” to pinch-hit.

But he was back in the lineup at Yankee Stadium, hitting an RBI single in the first inning to put Boston on the board and begin the rout. Jason Varitek drove in two runs, and No. 9 hitter Lou Merloni even reached base four times.

Ramirez was hit by a pitch in the eighth and left the game.

New York’s Roger Clemens makes his final regular-season start against his former team Saturday. Tim Wakefield goes for Boston in a rematch of last Sunday’s game won by the Rocket.

Pettitte (17-8) had won four straight starts and 12 of his last 13 decisions, including a 10-7 victory over Martinez last Saturday. The Boston ace blew leads of 3-0 and 4-2 in that game.

Pettitte allowed a season-high eight earned runs and nine hits in 2 1-3 innings. He walked three, including Merloni twice.

Martinez struck out four of first five batters and improved to 9-8 career against the Yankees. He gave up one run, four hits and walked one.

Damon led off the game with a bunt single – Pettitte failed to cover first – and Nomar Garciaparra had an infield single with one out – shortstop Wilson threw high on a slow roller.

Ramirez and David Ortiz followed with RBI singles to right. Varitek added a two-out RBI single, making it 3-0.

Garciaparra had a two-out RBI single in the second, and Damon grounded a bases-loaded triple inside first base in the third, chasing Pettitte. Bill Mueller followed with an RBI single off Jeff Weaver.

Wilson and Soriano hit consecutive doubles in the sixth off Martinez.

The Yankees loaded the bases with none out in the seventh against Scott Sauerbeck and scored on Wilson’s double-play grounder and Soriano’s RBI single.

Notes: The Yankees lead the season series 9-8. … SS Garciaparra threw out Soriano from deep in the hole in the first inning. … Weaver had an encouraging outing, allowing one run and five hits in 4 2-3 innings. … RHP Jorge De Paula made his major league debut for the Yankees in the eighth and promptly hit Ramirez with an 0-2 pitch. De Paula pitched two scoreless innings. … Wilson, starting for injured SS Derek Jeter, doubled twice off Martinez, making him 10-for-20 lifetime against the Boston ace.

AP-ES-09-05-03 2219EDT