Pirate Galaxy » Denver.Portland was coming off a 114-9

BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez told his Red Sox teammates in the dugout that he wasnt going to swing for the fences in his final at-bat.It doesnt work for him that way.I dont hit homers when I try to hit homers, he explained to reporters after Bostons 11-7 victory over the San Francisco Giants. They said, `It doesnt matter. Youve got three already.Ramirez homered three times to drive in a career-high six runs and also helped the Red Sox with some nifty fielding on Wednesday night as Boston moved into first place in the AL East. With a chance to tie the major league record of four homers in a game, he grounded out weakly to the pitcher in his last at-bat.Travis Shaw and Sandy Leon also homered for Boston, and Mookie Betts had three of the 15 Boston hits that made up for a poor outing from starter Drew Pomeranz. Acquired last week from San Diego for Bostons top pitching prospect, Pomeranz struggled to protect an eight-run lead and lasted just three innings in his Red Sox debut.Unfortunately it was an early night for him, manager John Farrell said. Hell be back out there in five days.Boston opened an 8-0 lead and held on to win for the eighth time in nine games and move a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, who lost 5-0 to the Yankees.And Ramirez was the biggest reason why.The converted first baseman made several fine fielding plays, diving to his left and his right and also starting a double play in the sixth with the bases loaded and nobody out after San Francisco had already cut Bostons 8-0 lead to 8-7.Everything went right today, he said.Ramirezs first career three-homer game gave him 11 for the season. He hit two-run shots in the second, third and sixth inning.Ramirez also reached base when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth, glowering at Giants reliever Albert Suarez before the umpire quickly warned both benches. The biggest crowd of the season -- 38,201 -- stood and chanted Ramirezs name for his final at-bat in the eighth.Sixteen times players have hit four homers in a game, most recently by Josh Hamilton for Texas in 2012.Matt Barnes (3-3) was awarded the victory as the first effective Red Sox pitcher, coming on with a one-run lead and the bases loaded in the sixth and pitching out of it, thanks to Ramirezs glove.Barnes added a scoreless seventh, getting Brandon Belt on a check-swing strikeout with two on to end it, and a perfect eighth.Pomeranz lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks.Giants starter Matt Cain (1-6) gave up three homers and five runs in 2 1/3 innings.Trevor Brown had three hits for the Giants. Mac Williamson hit a three-run homer, and the San Francisco right fielder also went over the right-field bullpen wall in pursuit of one of Ramirezs homers.I think every kid growing up, playing in Fenway would like to hit a ball over the Green Monster, Williamson said. It was definitely a special feeling rounding the bases. Seeing a ball going out here is kind of a childhood dream.RARE VISITThe game wrapped up a two-game series that was the Giants first visit to Fenway Park since 2007 and just their second since the start of interleague play. They have never beaten the Red Sox at the century-old ballpark, with their last win at Fenway coming as the New York Giants against the Boston Braves in the 1912 World Series.The crowd was boosted by many in Giants orange -- matching the 1978-82 throwback jerseys worn by the team; Boston wore the tops from its 1975 World Series team. The visitors managed to out-shout the home fans often, including in the fourth inning, when San Francisco scored five runs, and the fifth, when they added two more to make it an 8-7 game.LEATHERRamirez dove to his right to stop a line drive in the first inning, and made a play to his right on a hard grounder from Grant Green. Then, with the bases loaded in the sixth, he gloved a sharp grounder, stepped on first and threw home.Leon spun and tagged Belt as he slid home. The umpire signaled out, and the call stood after Giants manager Bruce Bochy challenged it.San Francisco third baseman Ramiro Pena made a nice play of his own, going back to catch Travis Shaws popup in shallow left to end the left inning and save a run.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Hunter Pence (surgery on right hamstring) isnt ready to resume rehab with Triple-A Sacramento. Bochy said hes got a chance to play on Thursday.Red Sox: Put RHP Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a strain of his pectoral muscle.UP NEXTGiants: Off Thursday before opening a three-game series in New York against the Yankees.Red Sox: Open four-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway.Giants starter Matt Cain said he felt fine.The results certainly didnt look that way.Cain gave up three homers in just 2 1/3 innings -- two of them to Hanley Ramirez -- as the Boston Red Sox completed a two-game interleague sweep over San Francisco, 11-7 on Wednesday night.Making his first start after three rehab outings and missing 43 games with right hamstring injury, Cain retired the first three batters of the game before giving up three runs in the second and two more in the third.Ramirez chased him with his second two-run homer -- of three he had on the night -- in the third. Travis Shaw had a solo shot in the second.It felt like it was coming out (of my hand) fine, just had some errant ones, said Cain (1-6). I had a lot of positives. I had some breaking balls I threw pretty good and some fastballs I threw pretty good.But he said one thing was certain.I made two mistakes right down the middle to Hanley, Cain said.This week, the Giants made their first visit to Fenway Park since 2007 and just their second since the start of interleague play. They have never beaten the Red Sox at the century-old ballpark, with their last win at Fenway coming as the New York Giants against the Boston Braves in the 1912 World Series.He looked good the first inning, stuff looked good. Just couldnt keep the ball out of the middle of the plate, manager Bruce Bochy said of Cain. The long ball hurt us again tonight. We just cant seem to keep the ball in the ballpark.Ramirez drove in a career-high six runs and the Red Sox held on even though newly acquired starter Drew Pomeranz struggled to protect an eight-run lead.Boston won for the eighth time in nine games and moved into first place in the AL East, a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. The Red Sox had five homers in the game -- Sandy Leon added a solo shot -- after getting two in a 4-0 win Tuesday.Ramirez also reached base when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth, glowering at Giants reliever Albert Suarez before the umpire quickly warned both benches. With the crowd chanting Ramirezs name for his final at-bat in the eighth, he grounded out weakly to the pitcher.Ramirez began the day with eight homers this season before connecting for his first three-homer game.The major league record for home runs in a game is four. Its been done 16 times, most recently by Josh Hamilton for Texas in 2012.Matt Barnes (3-3) was awarded the victory as the first effective Red Sox pitcher, coming on with a one-run lead and the bases loaded in the sixth and pitching out of it.Pomeranz, who was acquired last week for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza, lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks.The crowd of 38,201 was a sellout and the highest of the season for the Red Sox. It was boosted by many in Giants orange, matching the 1978-82 throwback jerseys worn by the team; Boston wore the tops from its 1975 World Series team. The visitors managed to out-shout the home fans often, including in the fourth inning, when San Francisco scored five runs, and the fifth, when they added two more to make it an 8-7 game.SPECIAL FEELINGMac Williamson hit a three-run homer, over the Green Monster, and the San Francisco right fielder also went over the bullpen wall in pursuit of one of Ramirezs homers.Its kind of been a little dream of mine, he said. I think every kid growing up, playing in Fenway, would like to hit a ball over the Green Monster.LEATHERRamirez also made a few good plays in the field. He dove to his right to stop a line drive in the first inning, and made a play to his right on a hard grounder from Grant Green. Then, with the bases loaded in the sixth, he gloved a sharp grounder, stepped on first and threw home.Leon spun and tagged Belt as he slid home. The umpire signaled out, and the call stood after Bochy challenged it.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Hunter Pence (surgery on right hamstring) isnt ready to resume rehab with Triple-A Sacramento. Bochy said hes got a chance to play on Thursday.Red Sox: Put RHP Koji Uehara on the 15-day disabled list with a strain of his pectoral muscle.UP NEXTGiants: Off Thursday before opening a three-game series in New York against the Yankees.Red Sox: Open four-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway. Chris Paul Clippers Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Patrick Beverley Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. http://www.clippersnbateamshop.info/blake-griffin-clippers-jersey/ .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Custom Los Angeles Clippers Jerseys . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Montrezl Harrell Jersey . - The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes on Friday. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Damian Lillard makes the first of his two annual trips to his hometown on Saturday night when the Portland Trail Blazers visit the Golden State Warriors.The goal: Set the stage for closing down Oracle Arena for the summer with a return visit in the playoffs.The Trail Blazers had a chance to do just that last May but lost three straight in Oakland in a 4-1 defeat in the Western Conference semifinals.Those were three of seven straight losses that Portland has endured in Oakland since Nov. 23, 2013.And those games -- especially the four in the regular season -- havent been close.The Warriors put a 128-112 and 136-111 thumping on the Trail Blazers in their two regular-season visits last season. Overall, Golden State has averaged a 16.8-point margin of victory in its four-game regular-season home run over Portland.If any player is capable of turning that around, its Lillard. After all, he had 20 points and nine assists as a rookie in the 2013 win, and he crushed the Warriors with 51 points in a 137-105 home win over Golden State last January.Unfortunately for the Trail Blazers, it seems recent wins over the two-time Western Conference champs have only inspired them to greater things. The Warriors responded to the 32-point shellacking last season with the subsequent 16- and 25-point home wins, followed by the 4-1 playoff triumph.Lillard often hasnt been at his best in front of family and old friends in Oakland. He did have a 38-point outing in his mmost recent regular-season visit last April, but that followed a 5-of-19, 17-point dud a month earlier when he missed nine of his 10 3-point attempts.ddddddddddddThe point guard enters Saturdays visit on a bit of a roll. Hed already had three 30-point games this month before exploding for 40, two off his season high, in Thursdays loss at Denver.Portland was coming off a 114-95 thrashing of the Oklahoma Thunder two nights earlier.We werent the same team that we have been the last few games, Lillard told reporters after the Denver loss.Warriors coach Steve Kerr, meanwhile, wasnt happy with his teams play Thursday night, either. But his team was good enough to win anyway, 103-90 at home over the New York Knicks.The game featured 36 consecutive Warriors baskets on which they were credited with assists. They finished with 41 assists on 45 hoops, the first team this season with an assist on more than 90 percent of its shots.That was the lone bright spot of the game, Kerr said to reporters afterward. They really look for each other. Thats a theme almost every night. Thats such a great quality to have as a team.The Warriors had 45 assists on 50 baskets in their 127-104 win at Portland last month.Lillard was the games top scorer with 31 points but missed 11 of his 19 shots from the field and registered a minus-29 plus/minus in his 32 minutes. ' ' '