Boston Red Sox top-10 MLB All-Star Game performances
By Sean Penney
Manny Ramirez – 2004
Manny Ramirez paired with David Ortiz to form the most feared duo in baseball at the time. Both were All-Stars in 2004 but it was Manny who got the start. He hit in the cleanup spot, anchoring the heart of a deep lineup.
Ramirez went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. The homer came in the first inning off Roger Clemens. The Rocket was in his first season with the Houston Astros, a season in which he’d capture his seventh and final Cy Young award. It was also his first season following a five-year stint with the New York Yankees. Seeing Clemens in pinstripes never sat well with Red Sox Nation. The blood-boiling anger toward Clemens has since cooled and he’s been enshrined in the Red Sox Hall of Fame. But back in 2004, Clemens was still the enemy in our eyes. That made Manny’s homer even sweeter.
The AL jumped on Clemens for three runs out of the gate, led by Ramirez’ two-run blast. It’s a lead they would not surrender, going on to win 9-4. Manny only stayed in for two plate appearances but he made one of them count.
Ramirez grounded into a force out to end the second inning. He was pinch-hit for with his buddy Big Papi in the fourth. Speaking of which…