Hanley putting first-place Sox on his back

BOSTON — Hanley Ramirez could hear the pleading of his teammates from the bench, and he didn’t want to let them down.

Then again, when has Ramirez let anyone down during this stretch in which he’s tormented opponents with amazing regularity?

This 5-4 victory by the Red Sox over the Yankees on Sunday night was set up by one defining moment in the bottom of the fifth inning.

CC Sabathia snared a liner by Mookie Betts and should have had an inning-ending double play. But the lefty’s throw to first base was high, and Billy Butler couldn’t reel it in.

At this moment, the Red Sox were down, 4-0. But they had two men on base and the hottest run producer on the planet at the plate.

“I was just listening from the dugout, ‘Make them pay. Make them pay.’ I’ve got to give a lot of credit to the guys on the bench,” said Ramirez. “They are pushing hard to keep us in the game.”

In case you hadn’t guessed, Ramirez scorched a three-run laser that cleared the Monster, and the Red Sox were suddenly down by just a run.

“Glad he’s on our team. That’s all you can really say right now,” said Red Sox center …

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