Dustin Pedroia

Manny Ramirez stood at the top step of the visiting dugout at Fenway Park, leaning on the rail and looking out at the celebration on the field. Ramirez had hit a home run Saturday. He had even stolen a base. Ramirez's frequent clubhouse companion Vicente Padilla had returned to the Dodgers rotation and made it through 5 1/3 innings in his first game in nearly two months. And the Red Sox did everything they could to invite the Dodgers back into the game by committing four errors.

Bobby Valentine has already created a stir less than two weeks into his first season as manager of the Boston Red Sox, calling out popular third baseman Kevin Youkilis then apologizing to the player for his remarks . Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss whether the veteran manager is the right fit for the Red Sox. Check back throughout the day for their responses and join the conversation by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of...

BOSTON -- Dustin Pedroia was four for four for the second consecutive game and got plenty of help from a makeshift lineup as the Boston Red Sox pounded Chicago's pitching again in an 8-2 victory Saturday night. The 5-foot-7 second baseman took over the American League lead with a .327 batting average. And he did it from the cleanup spot, the first time last year's rookie of the year batted there in the majors. Kevin Youkilis, who usually hits fourth, sat out because of illness.

Technically speaking, Arte Moreno owns the Angels. But these days, on the field at least, so do the Boston Red Sox. Boston completed a four-game sweep of the Angels on Sunday, beating them 7-0 before 35,107 at Angel Stadium behind a brilliant performance from former Angels ace John Lackey. The Red Sox have taken 13 of 14 from the Angels since the start of the 2010 season and outscored them 20-5 in this series. "Those guys took it to us," said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, who met with the team after it was shut out for the second consecutive game and told his players to mentally move past the sweep.

NEW YORK -- Jason Bay drove in four runs, Dustin Pedroia hit a grand slam and the Boston Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees, 11-3, Wednesday night, putting a dent in New York's playoff chances. Paul Byrd beat New York in a key game for the second year in a row and David Ortiz reached base four times for the second game in a row. Pedroia's first career slam capped a seven-run eighth inning and sent hordes of booing Yankees fans shuffling toward the exits. New York dropped seven games behind Boston, which remained 3 1/2 games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the American League East.

at Tampa Bay 10, Baltimore 9: Rocco Baldelli hit a game-winning double in the ninth inning and the American League East-leading Rays rallied from a four-run deficit. Nick Markakis hit a tying home run with two outs in the ninth for the Orioles. at Oakland 3, Minnesota 2: Bobby Crosby and Emil Brown each scored on a throwing error by closer Joe Nathan in the ninth inning, giving the Athletics their 10th walkoff win this season and second in three days. Toronto 7, at New York 6: Vernon Wells hit a two-run home run, Gregg Zaun drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Blue Jays overcame a 6-2 deficit after six innings.

Bobby Valentine has already created a stir less than two weeks into his first season as manager of the Boston Red Sox, calling out popular third baseman Kevin Youkilis then apologizing to the player for his remarks . Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss whether the veteran manager is the right fit for the Red Sox. Check back throughout the day for their responses and join the conversation by voting in the poll and leaving a comment of...

Forget the five seasons he took Boston to the playoffs. Or the two times he won the World Series there. Terry Francona is clearly doing his best managing job this summer, keeping the hobbled Red Sox within striking distance of another postseason berth. Entering the weekend, only Minnesota, among American League teams, had won more games in August than the streaking Red Sox, who are without Kevin Youkilis , Jacoby Ellsbury and former most valuable player Dustin Pedroia and probably will be for the rest of the season.

Technically speaking, Arte Moreno owns the Angels. But these days, on the field at least, so do the Boston Red Sox. Boston completed a four-game sweep of the Angels on Sunday, beating them 7-0 before 35,107 at Angel Stadium behind a brilliant performance from former Angels ace John Lackey. The Red Sox have taken 13 of 14 from the Angels since the start of the 2010 season and outscored them 20-5 in this series. "Those guys took it to us," said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, who met with the team after it was shut out for the second consecutive game and told his players to mentally move past the sweep.

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who earned $457,000 last season while winning the American League most-valuable-player award, agreed Wednesday to a $40.5-million, six-year contract that could keep him in Boston through at least 2014. "I wanted to be here a long time," Pedroia said at a Fenway Park news conference. "Hopefully in the next six years we can win some championships." Heading into his third year in the majors, Pedroia has already joined Cal Ripken Jr.

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is bracing for the possibility of having season-ending surgery on his broken left foot. Pedroia will have a CT scan on Friday. He says if the exam doesn't show sufficient healing, he will have a screw put in his foot. The injury originally occurred in late June. Pedroia returned for two games in August, then went back on the 15-day disabled list. He and the Red Sox hoped for his return this month, but his recovery hasn't gone as swiftly as anticipated.

Forget the five seasons he took Boston to the playoffs. Or the two times he won the World Series there. Terry Francona is clearly doing his best managing job this summer, keeping the hobbled Red Sox within striking distance of another postseason berth. Entering the weekend, only Minnesota, among American League teams, had won more games in August than the streaking Red Sox, who are without Kevin Youkilis , Jacoby Ellsbury and former most valuable player Dustin Pedroia and probably will be for the rest of the season.

Manny Ramirez stood at the top step of the visiting dugout at Fenway Park, leaning on the rail and looking out at the celebration on the field. Ramirez had hit a home run Saturday. He had even stolen a base. Ramirez's frequent clubhouse companion Vicente Padilla had returned to the Dodgers rotation and made it through 5 1/3 innings in his first game in nearly two months. And the Red Sox did everything they could to invite the Dodgers back into the game by committing four errors.

With two on and two out in the ninth inning of a tied game, Manager Joe Torre phoned the bullpen. He wanted Jonathan Broxton to enter the game early to send the game into extra innings. Broxton couldn't. With a 1-1 count against Dustin Pedroia, he tried to hit the outside part of the plate and watched Pedroia send it into right field. Andre Ethier's throw was wide and Daniel Nava made it home to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4, walk-off victory over the Dodgers.

Jon Lester (13-7) gave up two hits in eight innings and the Boston Red Sox beat Tampa Bay, 4-0, Sunday for a doubleheader sweep, handing the Rays their 11th consecutive loss. Tampa Bay's losing streak is the longest this season in the majors. In the opener, Dustin Pedroia's tiebreaking, two-run home run in the eighth inning gave Boston a 3-1 victory behind Clay Buchholz and two relievers. -- associated press

Kevin Youkilis hit two home runs, Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run shot, Jon Lester struck out a career-high 12 batters and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-2, on Sunday. Jason Bay also hit a home run for the Red Sox, who tweaked their lineup to shake themselves out of a recent slump. Nine of Boston's 11 hits were for extra bases. "We scored early and then we added on," Manager Terry Francona said. "That's always a good way to play.

Jon Lester pitched seven shutout innings, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Red Sox, who can complete a sweep of the four-game series today in the annual Patriots' Day game. Dustin Pedroia and Mike Lowell had run-scoring singles for Boston. Koji Uehara (2-1) gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings for the Orioles, who lost their fourth consecutive game.

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who earned $457,000 last season while winning the American League most-valuable-player award, agreed Wednesday to a $40.5-million, six-year contract that could keep him in Boston through at least 2014. "I wanted to be here a long time," Pedroia said at a Fenway Park news conference. "Hopefully in the next six years we can win some championships." Heading into his third year in the majors, Pedroia has already joined Cal Ripken Jr.