BOSTON – Manny Ramirez singled and scored before leaving with a bruised knee, and the streaking Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 Friday night for their 10th victory in 11 games.

Ricky Gutierrez singled three times and drove in two runs, and Mark Bellhorn had a pair of hits to help the Red Sox win for the 13th time in 16 games and improve to a season-high 21 games over .500. The win was tempered by the loss of Ramirez, who fouled a pitch off his left knee. He was day-to-day after X-rays were negative.

Derek Lowe (12-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in eight innings, striking out seven. He won for the sixth time in his last eight decisions while improving to 6-1 lifetime against Detroit, his hometown team.

With Keith Foulke getting some rest after pitching in four of the last six games, the Red Sox used three relievers in the ninth: Mike Timlin, Alan Embree and Curtis Leskanic. Each got one out, and Leskanic retired Brandon Inge with runners at the corners for his third save. Mike Maroth (10-9) allowed five runs – four earned – and 10 hits in five innings. He has lost consecutive decisions after winning the previous seven.

Maroth gave up consecutive doubles to start the first and fell behind 2-1 after one. Boston made it 3-1 in the third thanks to a pair of Detroit errors.

Ramirez reached safely when shortstop Carlos Guillen couldn’t handle his grounder. Jason Varitek doubled one out later and, on Kevin Millar’s grounder to shortstop, catcher Inge muffed the throw home; Ramirez tried to go through Inge before slipping around him to get to the plate.

Boston loaded the bases in the fifth on Varitek’s walk and consecutive singles by Orlando Cabrera and Gabe Kapler. Gutierrez followed with a single to left to drive in two runs and make it 5-1.

Craig Monroe hit a two-run homer in the seventh to make it 5-3. Ramirez, who leads the AL with 34 homers, tipped a pitch from Maroth off his knee and limped around in pain. After the trainers came out to talk to him, Ramirez finished his at-bat – lining out to left field – and headed to the dugout.

Dave Roberts replaced Ramirez in left field to start the fifth inning.

Notes: Varitek, who returned from a four-game suspension for pushing Alex Rodriguez in the face, received a big ovation before his first at-bat. … Tigers C Ivan Rodriguez, after committing two throwing errors Thursday night, was held out of the lineup Friday with a cold. … Tigers OF Rondell White was also held out with a strained right hip flexor, sustained during Thursday’s loss to the Red Sox. He was day-to-day. … Red Sox 3B Bill Mueller was held out of the lineup after twisting his right ankle Thursday. … The MRI on Boston 1B Doug Mientkiewicz’s left shoulder showed no structural damage and he remained day-to-day.

AP-ES-08-27-04 2203EDT