MANNY RAMIREZ & DAVID ORTIZ

A POWERFUL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Ortiz & Ramirez lead the way in Toronto

July 12, 2007 ... For those looking for a harbinger of better things to come for the Red Sox in the season's second half, tonight's 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays abounded with candidates, but none more encouraging than this: For the first time in Fenway Park in 2007, and only the third time this season, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez drove in multiple runs in the same game. Ortiz singled home a run in the first and doubled home another in the sixth, and Ramirez doubled home a run in the first, had a sacrifice fly in the second, and singled home a run in the sixth. Ramirez entered the game in an 8-for-46 slump, while Ortiz was coming off a weekend in which Detroit manager Jim Leyland had him intentionally walked three times in one game.

More evidence of a bullish start to the second half, one that kept the Sox 10 games ahead of the Yankees in the AL East and widened their lead to 11 over the Blue Jays: The Sox once again roughed up Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, who gave up a four-spot in the first inning, throwing 36 pitches before he got his first swing and miss. Halladay was gone after five innings, having thrown a staggering 112 pitches. The last time the Sox faced Halladay, he gave up 11 hits and seven runs in five innings, and underwent an emergency appendectomy the next day. The former Cy Young Award winner has allowed five or more earned runs a an un-Halladay-like six times this season, including his last two outings.

J.D. Drew, who was supposed to be the Sox' answer in the No. 5 hole, continues to thrive in the leadoff spot. Drew singled and scored in the first inning, walked and scored in the second, and has scored a dozen runs in 10 starts as leadoff man. Kevin Youkilis, who had missed the previous five games and six of the last eight with tightness in his right quadriceps, returned to the starting lineup, walked twice, and hit a ground ball to the right side to make sure the Sox added a fourth run off Halladay in the first. The rookie, Dustin Pedroia, served Halladay early notice he would have to work for everything, fouling off five pitches in his first at-bat before drawing a full-count walk after Drew opened the first with a single. Pedroia singled and scored in the sixth, and made a terrific backhand stop for the third out of the Blue Jays first, with one run in and the Jays threatening to add more.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield reached double digits in wins, holding the Blue Jays to a couple of runs on six singles until Matt Stairs and Alex Rios hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning. There has been no middle ground for Wakefield this season: In all 18 of his starts, he has emerged with a decision, raising his record to 10-8. The bullpen, with Wakefield departing after the sixth, held the Blue Jays scoreless. Manny Delcarmen, looking more and more like a key component of the pen, struck out Gregg Zaun with a 96-mile-per-hour fastball on the black, then retired the next two hitters on ground balls in an impressive seventh. Hideki Okajima, with Alex Rios doubling over Ramirez's head in left, escaped a first-and-third, two-out jam in the eighth, extending his scoreless streak to 14 appearances.

Shortstop Julio Lugo, with two hits, raised his average to .201, the first time he has been above the Mendoza Line since June 20. Lugo, who went 3 for 3 in Detroit, was generously rewarded a single on his slow roller in the first, then lined a single in the third for a fifth straight hit before lining to left and reaching on an error in his last two at-bats. Every player in the Sox' lineup reached base at least once.

The Sox received a scare in the eighth when Ortiz fouled a pitch off his right knee. Manager Terry Francona and trainer Paul Lessard came out to check Ortiz, who was doubled over for a few moments before staying in the game.

Until this season, the Sox had never led by as many as 10 games at the All-Star break. But Jonathan Papelbon, who wasn't born in '78, when the Sox blew a 14 1/2 game lead to the Yankees, warned that the Sox could not afford to become complacent. Papelbon no doubt was aware of more recent history, like 2005, when the White Sox were 15 games ahead Aug. 1 but led the Indians by only 1 1/2 games Sept. 24 before holding on to win the AL Central and eventually the World Series. Papelbon heeded his own advice, closing out the Jays in the ninth for his 21st save.

Last night was the 17th game Schilling missed since going on the disabled list with what the club is calling tendinitis in his right shoulder. Before leaving for the All-Star break Sunday night, Schilling expressed satisfaction in the progress he has made in strengthening his shoulder and learning some additional maintenance techniques that should allow him to be an effective starter in the last two months of the season. Assuming there are no setbacks, Schilling should be back by the end of the month.

Reliever Joel Pineiro threw 13 pitches, 11 for strikes, in a rehab assignment Wednesday in Lowell and is expected to be activated tonight, which probably means first baseman Jeff Bailey will return to Pawtucket. Brendan Donnelly's turn in Lowell comes tonight; Francona said the Sox will then discuss Donnelly's next step, which suggests another rehab appearance may be in the offing.

As the Sox prepare to monitor Clay Buchholz's Triple A debut Monday night in Pawtucket, it's worth noting Buchholz was drafted by the Sox with the 2005 sandwich draft pick (42d pick overall) they were awarded for the Mets' signing of Pedro Martinez following the 2004 season. Martinez is rehabbing and hoping to return later this season. Buchholz could be promoted, a la Jonathan Papelbon, before the end of the season.