White Sox slugger Manny Ramirez took the blame Friday for his rocky departure from Boston and said he would have joined the Red Sox if they had claimed him when he was placed on waivers this month.

Charlie Manuel scoffed at the notion of second place. So did Phillies stars Jimmy Rollins and Roy Oswalt.

Daniel Nava took one for the team. Then he stole one from the other team.

Jonathan Papelbon's streak of perfection against the Blue Jays came to a costly end for the Boston Red Sox.

John Lackey pitched into the eighth inning to win in his return to Angel Stadium, and Jed Lowrie's two-run double in the seventh put the Boston Red Sox ahead in a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.

The floor of the Red Sox clubhouse was filled with black equipment bags as players packed for their 10-day West Coast trip. Amid the clutter, the stuff that revealed the team's current condition was still hard to miss.

Kevin Youkilis spoiled Cliff Lee's bid for his second straight complete game. Then he ruined the Texas Rangers' chance for their third consecutive win over the Boston Red Sox.

David Ortiz hit a two-run homer, Marco Scutaro had three RBIs and the Boston Red Sox beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 on Thursday night.

Juan Samuel walked into the interview room after his first win as a major league manager and removed his cap, revealing a head full of tightly cropped salt-and-pepper hair.

The surging Boston Red Sox never doubted themselves.

Cole Hamels looks more like his old, dominant self with every start.

Clay Buchholz gave Boston's struggling big-name rotation a lift with his best performance of the season.