Red Sox spoil Damon’s return to Fenway

By Mike Shalin

BOSTON (Reuters) – The Boston Red Sox ruined Johnny Damon’s
return to Fenway Park as a New York Yankee with an emphatic 7-3
victory inspired by scores from Mark Loretta and David Ortiz in
American League action Monday.

Loretta broke his slump by singling home pinch-runner
Willie Harris to help the Red Sox take a 4-3 lead before Ortiz
followed with a three-run home run in the eighth inning to make
it a miserable return for Damon, who joined the Yankees from
the Sox during the offseason.

He turned some of the angry fans around by doffing his
batting helmet to the crowd, but had dollar bills tossed at him
as he went into the outfield. He went 0-for-4 the rest of the
night.

With one out in the Boston eighth, Alex Cora walked and
Harris ran for him.

Loser Aaron Small (0-1), returning from the disabled list
to pitch for the first time this season, then hit Kevin
Youkilis with a pitch. Tanyon Sturtze then relieved Small
before Loretta, mired in a 5-for-42 slump, singled.

Ortiz then ripped his 11th home run of the season off
left-hander Mike Myers.

Tim Wakefield allowed three runs on four hits in seven
innings. Yankee starter Chien-Ming Wang yielded three runs on
six hits in five innings. Neither starter figured in the final
decision.

Ortiz drove in a run with a first-inning single before
Robinson Cano highlighted a three-run Yankee fourth inning with
a two-run single for a 3-1 New York lead. The Red Sox, who just
finished a 3-6 road trip, then tied it with two in the fifth.

Reliever Mike Timlin (3-0) got the win as the Red Sox moved
back into sole possession of first place in the American League
East.