Ramirez, who had provided an RBI single in the first inning, manufactured the winner by himself, rapidly uncoiling his arms and bat on a lingering Dan Haren curveball with one down in the sixth.
''You throw one of those to Manny, it's like you're at the driving range and all the balls are hit on that green," said Oakland manager Ken Macha. ''They're going to land over there in the same spot. I think there's a parking garage over there."
That ensured a win for Bronson Arroyo, who was as good as he's been on any night this year, bringing a perfect game into the fifth inning in what ended as a seven-inning, three-hit, one-run gem. The Sox are just 10-7 this month but their starting pitching (8-7, 3.43 ERA) has been excellent.
That has allowed the Sox, who have 14 games to play, to keep pace with New York, which won earlier in the day, momentarily closing to one game the lead in the East. And, believe it: The Sox are paying attention.
''I was looking at the schedule, bro," said David Ortiz. ''New York has seven games left with Baltimore. That's bad news."
And, the news isn't good outside the AL East, either. The Indians, 11-1 since Labor Day, won again, maintaining a half-game lead on the Yankees for the wild-card lead.
''If we don't come in first place [in the East] . . .," Ortiz said. He tailed off, making a throat-slash gesture, the implication being that Boston's season would be dead.
''The series we have to play the Yankees here at the end," he added, ''that's going to be World Series [stuff]."
The good news: Pitching wins this time of year, and the Sox, who were winning by football scores in July and August, have won by scores of 3-2 and 2-1 the last two nights, scores more indicative of October.
''When I came out of the dugout tonight to go stretch down the line, I felt like it was October," said Arroyo, who is 13-9 with a 4.31 ERA. ''I could feel the excitement in the crowd. Definitely a little bit of a different vibe than I've felt here in a while."
Arroyo is almost certain to be the member of the five-man staff pitching out of the bullpen when/if the postseason begins for the Sox, but last night, the 28-year-old showed again why he's made the most quality starts (19) of anyone on the team.
