updated 11:45 p.m. ET July 26, 2007

CLEVELAND - Over the fence, over the bushes and into the trees. Manny Ramirez’s homer was something to behold.

Ramirez hit the third-longest home run at Jacobs Field, a tree-clearing solo shot into a monument area, and added a two-run homer as the Boston Red Sox outslugged the Cleveland Indians 14-9 on Thursday night.

Ramirez’s tape-measure rocket in the second inning off Cliff Lee (5-8), conservatively estimated at 481 feet, set the tone for the Red Sox, who won three of the four games against one of the AL’s other premier teams.

“It was a bomb,” said Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis. “I don’t know how they measure it, but he crushed it.”

After the Indians closed to 12-9, Ramirez connected again with an eighth-inning drive that barely cleared the wall in center. It was his 49th multihomer game, tying Hall of Famers Mel Ott and Eddie Mathews for 12th on the career list.

Following the game, Ramirez declined an interview request as he dressed in the corner of Boston’s clubhouse.

Wily Mo Pena hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, and Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell drove in two runs apiece as the Red Sox and Indians combined for 23 runs after consecutive 1-0 games.

Ryan Garko hit a three-run shot and Franklin Gutierrez homered for the Indians.

Julian Tavarez (6-8) relieved starter Kason Gabbard in the fifth, working out of a bases-loaded jam. He pitched 2 1-3 innings.

The Red Sox opened a 9-1 lead with a five-run fifth, putting Gabbard in position to improve to 5-0.

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But the rookie left-hander let the Indians back in it as Cleveland scored four in their half. Josh Barfield hit a two-run double and scored on Grady Sizemore’s single off the 25-year-old Gabbard, who then walked two to load the bases.

Travis Hafner was hit with a pitch to force in a run and Boston manager Terry Francona pulled Gabbard before things got any worse. Tavarez came on and got Ryan Garko to line out to center.

“It’s kind of embarrassing to have a 9-l lead and have that happen,” Gabbard said. “I’m just looking forward to my next start.”

Pena’s fifth homer, a laser shot off reliever Tom Mastny’s first pitch in the seventh, gave Boston a 12-5 lead.

“That was one of the hardest balls I’ve seen go out,” Francona said. “I thought it might go through (the wall).”

Down by seven, the Indians chipped away and closed to 12-9 in the seventh when Hafner snapped an 0-for-21 skid with an RBI single and Garko connected for his 13th homer.

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