Schilling improved to a 9 and 1 win/loss record in his last 13 postseason starts to help the Red Sox complete a three-game sweep of the Western Division champion Angels.
Jared Weaver, Angels pitcher, was also in form until Red Sox slugger Ortiz belted a changeup over the right-field wall to open the scoring in the fourth inning.
Ramirez followed up Ortiz's blast with a home run of his own to centerfield on a hanging curveball, and in doing so tied with Bernie Williams for the most career postseason home runs (22).
It was still anyone's game at 2-0, but in the top of the eighth the Red Sox batted around and scored seven runs to seal the Angels' fate.
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"When they're both on... I don't know if there is a way to get both of them out."
Curt Schilling, Red Sox pitcher, on his teammates Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz |
Ramirez and Ortiz combined to get on base 19 times in the three games with the Angels, including two home runs apiece, as their rapport bodes well for a World Series title push.
"Everything is coming together at just the right time," Ortiz said.
Schilling said it appeared Ramirez had found his form just at the right time.
"He's seeing the ball well. I talked a lot with Manny during the season, and he was very adamant (that) he never felt good. He never felt Right. He never felt like he was in the groove. "(Now) he looks very confident at the plate."
With Ortiz and Ramirez hitting in the middle of the lineup, you "pick your poison" if you are an opposing pitcher, Schilling said.
"There is no one way to get either one of those guys out.
"When they're both on... I don't know if there is a way to get both of them out."
Yankees on the board
Meanwhile in the other American League first round play-off, Johnny Damon belted a three-run homer as the New York Yankees roared back
into contention with an 8-4 win over the Cleveland Indians in the Bronx.
Cleveland now lead the best-of-five series 2-1 after winning the opening two matches at home, with Game 4 set for Yankee Stadium on Monday and New York manager Joe Torre still under pressure.
In an interview published earlier in the day, George Steinbrenner, Yankees owner, said Torre would not return next season if New York were eliminated from the divisional play-offs.
"We know our backs are up against the wall," Damon told reporters.
"There's a lot on the line. We're playing for the manager we love."