--OF Manny Ramirez was originally listed in Friday night's starting lineup in his customary cleanup spot, but Ramirez was scratched from the starting lineup after complaining of soreness in his right knee. Ramirez also missed Wednesday afternoon's game with the problematic right knee, and subsequent MRIs on both knees at a local hospital came back clean. Sox manager Terry Francona had initially said on Wednesday that the knee injury caught him by surprise, but said on Friday that the knee is something that Ramirez has endured "from time to time."

--RHP Manny Delcarmen left the Yankees game after facing one batter in the top of the eighth inning with muscle cramping in his right forearm. The right-handed set-up man struck out Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez in a six pitch at-bat before manager Terry Francona and trainer Paul Lessard headed out to the mound to check on him. Delcarmen is expected to be re-examined Saturday, and should be considered day-to-day.

--LHP Hideki Okajima continues to enjoy a dominant month of July after struggling through a difficult stretch with inherited runners. The Sox set-up man was the surprise eighth-inning bullpen bridge for RHP Jonathan Papelbon last season, and could again reclaim his role as the Sox prime set-up man. Okajima still utilizes his split-changeup in his arsenal, but has relied more on his curveball and fastball during the recent stretch. Okajima has now put together nine straight scoreless appearances, during which he's thrown 7 1/3 shutout innings.

--DH David Ortiz made his much-awaited return from the 15-day disabled list and recorded his first hit since May 31 when he singled off the lip of the infield in the fourth inning. "Big Papi" didn't report any problems with the left wrist following the game, and will loom large in the middle of Boston's lineup if OF Manny Ramirez misses any time with his sore knee. The Red Sox managed to cobble together a 26-19 record while Ortiz was on the 15-day disabled list and are 34-25 this season with him in the lineup.

--1B Kevin Youkilis was again involved in a close incident with Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain as the hard-throwing righty came up and in on the Sox first baseman in the seventh inning of the 1-0 loss. Home plate umpire Marty Foster ruled that the high-and-tight fastball glanced off Youkilis' bat and was ruled a foul ball, and warnings were doled out to both the Red Sox and Yankees benches. "(Chamberlain) has great command until 'Youk' gets in there," said Sox manager Terry Francona of the third questionable pitch thrown at Youkilis by Chamberlain in less than a year. "I don't know. I don't have the answer."

BY THE NUMBERS
13 -- The number of wins for Sox starting pitchers that have been blown by a wildly inconsistent bullpen thus far this season, including five along for RHP Tim Wakefield.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"For me, I think what matters is that the team gets the win -- also, going five or six innings without any earned runs isn't that bad, is it?" -RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, to the Boston Herald amid criticism that he's not working deep enough into games.

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