DETROIT (AP) – David Ortiz and Jason Varitek each homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Boston Red Sox scored seven times in the 10th inning to beat the Detroit Tigers 10-7 Tuesday night.

Pinch-hitter Bill Mueller snapped a 3-3 tie with an RBI groundout in the 10th. Ortiz and Varitek connected later in the inning for the Red Sox, who have won seven of eight. They lead the Yankees by 4 games in the AL East.

Varitek homered from both sides of the plate, the first time he has accomplished the feat. It was the first time a Red Sox player connected from both sides since Mueller did it on July 29, 2003, at Texas.

Ortiz’s home run in the ninth off Fernando Rodney tied the score at 3.

Craig Monroe hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the 10th against Mike Remlinger, but the left-hander retired Brandon Inge to end Detroit’s three-game winning streak.

With one out in the Boston 10th, Tony Graffanino singled off Chris Dingman (1-2) and went to third on Kevin Youkilis’ single to right-center.

Mueller, batting for Gabe Kapler, hit a dribbler to the right of the mound, and second baseman Placido Polanco’s only play was to first.

Jamie Walker replaced Dingman but gave up an RBI single to Johnny Damon. He stole second and went to third on Edgar Renteria’s infield hit before Ortiz hit his second homer in two innings deep into the right-center stands.

Manny Ramirez doubled, chasing Walker, and Varitek greeted Franklyn German with his second homer of the game and 20th of the season.

Chad Bradford (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.

With the score tied at 2, Chris Shelton led off the Detroit eighth with a double over Ramirez’s head in left, then went to third on Dmitri Young’s groundout.

Magglio Ordonez’s sacrifice fly gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead.

Detroit’s Nate Robertson allowed two runs and two hits in eight innings, but he is winless in five starts.

Red Sox rookie Jonathan Papelbon, making his second career start, allowed two runs and six hits in five innings.

Boston took a 2-0 lead in the second when Ramirez walked and Varitek homered into the left-field bullpen. But Robertson retired his next 11 batters and didn’t give up another hit until Renteria’s single in the sixth.

Detroit tied it in the fifth on Polanco’s two-run single, but Polanco was thrown out trying to advance to second.

Notes: The Red Sox called Papelbon up from Triple-A Pawtucket before the game to fill the roster spot vacated by the demotion of reliever Manny Delcarmen on Monday. … Detroit C Ivan Rodriguez (hip flexor) missed his second straight game and is day to day. … Tigers SS Carlos Guillen (knee) has not played since Aug. 10 and was in New York on Tuesday for a second opinion on his knee. … Youkilis started at third, giving him his first major league at-bats since July 9. … Papelbon also got a no-decision in his first start, allowing three runs – two earned – in 5 1-3 innings against Minnesota on July 31. … Boston’s seven-run 10th was its biggest extra-inning total since scoring seven times in the 11th inning on June 4, 1982, against the Angels.

AP-ES-08-16-05 2233EDT


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