updated 4:28 p.m. ET Aug. 3, 2006

The Boston Red Sox have had a flair for the dramatic lately.

After yet another victory in their last at-bat, the Red Sox look to regain sole possession of first place in the AL East when they wrap up a four-game series with the Cleveland Indians Thursday at Fenway Park.

Mark Loretta hit a two-out double with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday, leading the Red Sox (64-42) to a 6-5 victory. Boston’s last three wins have all come in its final at-bat — David Ortiz hit a game-ending single to beat the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday and a three-run walkoff homer against Cleveland on Monday.

“We’d rather be up by one,” manager Terry Francona said. “But in this ballpark, crazy things happen.”

Ortiz has five game-ending hits this season and 12 in four seasons with Boston, but went 0-for-4 Wednesday.

“I didn’t think we’d be able to get to Ortiz. After two outs, I didn’t think I’d get up,” Loretta said. “I think the fans realize now that anything’s possible.”

The Red Sox, who are 5-6 over their last 11 games, remained percentage points behind the New York Yankees for first place in the division.

Manny Ramirez and Wily Mo Pena each hit solo homers Wednesday for Boston. Ramirez’s homer gave him 30 for the ninth straight season and was the 465th of his career, tying him with Dave Winfield for 26th on the career list.

Fausto Carmona, who gave up Ortiz’s homer on Monday, struck out the first two in the ninth Wednesday before hitting two batters and walking one prior to Loretta’s double. The Indians (46-60) have not recorded a save since closer Bob Wickman was traded to Atlanta on July 20.

“He did a real good job against those first two hitters,” said manager Eric Wedge, who added he would stick with Carmona as the closer. “Then he just looked like he got in a hurry to get the third out instead of trying not to do too much. ... It just kind of dominoed from there.”

Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez homered for Cleveland, which has dropped four of five. Hafner’s drive gave him 30 for the second year in a row.

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Jake Westbrook (7-7, 4.31 ERA) will start the finale for Cleveland. He lost his third straight start on Saturday, allowing two runs and six hits in eight innings of a 3-1 defeat to Seattle.

Westbrook has received just one run of support in each of his last two outings, but has a 5.09 ERA during his losing streak. He is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox.

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Boston will counter with Josh Beckett (13-5, 4.76), who allowed three runs and four hits in six innings of Boston’s 11-inning, 7-6 win over the Angels on Saturday. He has given up just six runs in 20 innings over his last three starts, going 2-0 over that span.

With a victory, Beckett can match Detroit rookie Justin Verlander for the major league lead in wins. However, he has given up 28 homers already this season, 12 more than his previous career high set in 2004 while with Florida.

Beckett made his only career start against the Indians on April 27, and allowed a career-high nine runs and three homers in just 3 2-3 innings of a 15-3 loss.

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