Bartolo Colon improved to 3-0 with six-plus innings of seven-hit, four-run ball in a 9-4 victory. He struck out five, walked two, allowed one home run, and pumped his fastball as high as 96 mph. Manny Ramirez’ two-run homer (501) in the fourth blew things open. Mike Lowell followed with a solo shot, J.D. Drew later added a bomb of his own, and that was more than enough for the resurgent Bartolo Colon. The Red Sox took a flier on Colon this winter because they viewed him as a low-risk, high-reward gamble. Coming off two seasons of shoulder and elbow woes, he needed to get healthy first. With a 3.50 ERA after three starts, he’s pitching like a steal.
Sox Notes: The Red Sox finished May 17-12. Only the Rangers (.286, 170) had a higher batting average and scored more runs in the month than the Sox, who hit .278 and scored 154 runs, the same as the Twins. The Sox led the league in home runs with 37, while the staff ERA of 3.66 was fourth-best.
