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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
TORONTO (AP) – Jason Varitek capped a comeback that moved the
Boston Red into a tie for first place in the AL East.
|  | | Manny Ramirez snaps an 0-for-14 slump with this home run. |
"I can't stress enough how important every game is, even during
this time of year," Varitek said after an 11-5 win Thursday night
over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Varitek homered and hit a key two-run single as the Red Sox tied
the idle New York Yankees for the division lead.
Down 5-4, Boston scored four times in the eighth inning.
Varitek's single capped the burst.
"It's satisfying because to we had the lead, blew it, and then
we battled back," Varitek said.
The Red Sox added three runs in the ninth on John Valentin's
two-run single and Troy O'Leary's RBI double.
Manny Ramirez ended a 0-for-14 slump with a two-run homer in the
sixth inning, giving Boston a 4-1 lead.
"You knew you they weren't going to hold down Ramirez for
long," Boston's Dante Bichette said.
Alex Gonzalez and Shannon Stewart homered, helping Toronto come
back for a 5-4 edge.
Jose Offerman and Brian Daubach opened the Boston eighth with
singles off Kelvim Escobar (0-4). After Carl Everett's groundout
advanced the runners, Escobar loaded the bases by intentionally
walking Ramirez.
Bichette tied it with a sacrifice fly. Reliever Dan Plesac
walked Troy O'Leary to reload the bases, and Paul Quantrill hit
pinch-hitter Trot Nixon with his first pitch, giving Boston the
lead. Varitek followed with his single to make it 8-5.
"It was a good comeback for us," Boston manager Jimy Williams
said. "I think the biggest at-bat was Troy O'Leary's walk against
a tough lefty in Dan Plesac."
Stewart's three-run homer off Rod Beck (1-2) in the seventh put
the Blue Jays ahead.
"That win doesn't belong to me, but it's better than the
alternative," Beck said. "I don't like to accept wins like that.
It's not my job to ruin a ballgame. My job is to hold them, and let
the starter get the `W."'
Boston starter Hideo Nomo, who pitched a one-hit shutout against
Toronto in his last start, retired the first 13 batters before Jose
Cruz Jr. singled off his glove.
Brian Simmons followed with a sharp single and a passed ball by
Varitek, Tony Batista hit an RBI infield single.
Varitek hit a solo homer in the fifth, giving Boston a 2-0 lead
against Chris Michalak.
Escobar, who gave up three runs in a 4-3 loss to Chicago on
Thursday night, was glad to be out there again.
"I wanted to go out there as quick as possible," Escobar said.
"It was good because the manager showed a lot of confidence in me,
but I just couldn't do it."
Game notes
Stewart homered for the first time since April 7 at Yankee
Stadium. He has four homers. ... Nomo gave up two runs on four hits
in five-plus innings. He struck out five and walked two. ...
Attendance was 21,747. ... Varitek went 2-for-4. ... The Blue Jays
are 1-3 against the Red Sox.
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Gammons: Alou got trapped in Montreal
RECAPS
Kansas City 8
Texas 2
Oakland 10
Tampa Bay 1
Boston 11
Toronto 5
Detroit 0
Chi. White Sox 0
Anaheim 5
Minnesota 4
Seattle 2
Baltimore 1
Houston 8
San Diego 4
Florida 5
NY Mets 3
Philadelphia 5
Montreal 2
Milwaukee 6
St. Louis 2
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