AP
June 6, 2008
Manny Ramirez homered, drove in five runs and got into a shouting match with teammate Kevin Youkalis as the Red Sox beat Tampa Bay 7-1 last night in a game that included a benchclearing brawl between the clubs.
TV cameras showed Ramirez and Youkilis being separated after exchanging words in the dugout at the end of the fourth inning. Ramirez pointed at Youkilis before being escorted down the runway toward the clubhouse by trainer Paul Lessard and a few players.
Boston manager Terry Francona felt emotions were still running hot after the earlier brawl.
"I think they were just exchanging some views on things," he said, trying to downplay his players' near altercation. "It was kind of a hectic night. Sometimes those things happen. It wasn't really a big deal; it won't be a big deal."
The Red Sox posted their 13th straight home win, matching the majors' longest streak in nearly two years, and completed their second three-game sweep of the Rays in a little more than a month.
The fight on the field started after Boston's Coco Crisp was hit on the right hip by a second-inning pitch from James
Shields. Crisp dropped his bat, charged the mound and ducked a wild right by Shields before throwing a few punches himself.
Crisp was tackled to the ground by Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro. Rays DH Jonny Gomes charged the mound from the dugout, jumped on Navarro and Crisp, and threw several punches that hit Crisp while he was on the ground.
Crisp, Shields and Gomes were ejected.
The tempers between the teams carried over from Wednesday's game when Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon felt Crisp "intentionally" tried to hurt Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura with a hard slide when he was caught stealing.
