Home Run by Ortiz Gives Red Sox Comeback Win Over Blue Jays

David Ortiz produced the tying and go-ahead runs as the Boston Red Sox defeated the visiting Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 Thursday. The win kept the Red Sox one game behind the Yankees with three left to play. The two teams will face each other in the final three games of the season at Boston's Fenway Park.

The Red Sox trailed 4-1 in the sixth inning when Manny Ramirez hit a two-run homer off Jason Frasor to cut Toronto's lead to 4-3.

Ortiz then tied the game in the eighth inning on a solo home run off of Vinnie Chulk. It was the 47th home run of the season for Ortiz who is a strong candidate for the AL MVP award.

Ortiz singled home the winning run in the ninth inning, pushing the ball past the shortstop to score Johnny Damon.

Jonathan Papelbon threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings to improve his record to 3-1. Miguel Batista took the loss for Toronto and fell to 5-8.

'The Yankees won. Cleveland won. So we've got to pull this one out,' Ortiz said just after the game ended.

The season ending series between the Red Sox and Yankees will open Friday night at Fenway with Chien-Ming Wang (8-4) on the mound for New York against ex-Yankee David Wells (14-7). The Red Sox would win the AL East outright with a three-game sweep while taking two-of-three would force a playoff on Monday afternoon for the AL East title.