by Mark Mayer | The Boston Red Sox, keyed by a 4 RBI effort from Manny Ramirez, look to sweep their two-game series Wednesday in Japan against the Oakland A’s. The defending world champs won Tuesday’s season opener 6-5 in 10 innings, The Sox rallied from a 4-3 deficit ona solo homer by Brandon Moss in the ninth and a two-run double by Ramirez in the tenth against Oakland closer Huston Street. Jon Lester takes the mound for Boston in Game 2 against Rich Harden, coming off an injury-plagued 2007.
Third baseman Eric Chavez is listed as day to day for Oakland, while Boston right fielder J.D. Drew missed the opener with back spasms. The Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook has the Red Sox a -115 favorite with the total at 9½ over (-115). The young A’s looked good in Tuesday’s loss, getting homers from Mark Ellis and Jack Hannahan. Oakland is worth a play for the split. When right, Harden is the A’s best pitcher. The game is on ESPN2 at 3 a.m. PT.
