BOSTON, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Pedro Martinez allowed two hits in five scoreless innings and Manny Ramirez hit a two-run homer as the Boston Red Sox posted a 6-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians Monday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
Martinez (19-4) surrendered a leadoff double to Coco Crisp in the first and a two-base hit to Bill Selby in the fifth. The righthander walked one and struck out four in improving to 9-1 with a 1.78 ERA lifetime against Cleveland.
Making a bid at winning his fourth Cy Young Award, Martinez was lifted after just five innings when the game was delayed for 1 hour, 12 minutes by rain.
Ramirez hit his 32nd homer with two outs in the sixth, giving Boston a 5-0 lead.
Nomar Garciaparra added four hits for the Red Sox, who despite the win, still trail Oakland by eight games with 13 remaining for the American League wild card.
Cleveland rookie Ricardo Rodriguez (2-2) gave up three runs and five hits in four innings. The 24-year-old righthander walked three and struck out three.
Crisp grounded into a forceout in the seventh to drive in the only run for the Indians, who managed just four hits as they lost for the seventh time in their last nine games.
Rodriguez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first when he got Brian Daubach to bounce into a forceout. But the Red Sox got to the youngster in the fourth.
Cliff Floyd led off with a double and Daubach was hit by a pitch. After Jason Varitek bounced into a forceout, Trot Nixon walked to load the bases.
Merloni produced the game's first run with an infield hit and Varitek scored when third baseman Selby made a wild throw. A single by Shea Hillenbrand made it 3-0.
After the delay, the Red Sox extended the lead to 6-0 in the sixth on Daubach's run-scoring single and Ramirez's homer.
