FOUR OUT MAN!

One step at a time. That's the position the Boston Red Sox were in heading into Monday evening's clash with Minnesota at Fenway Park. And they took a step forward with a 1-0 victory that inched them closer to the first place Rays.

The offense struggled to put runs on the board. However, the pitching was up to the challenge to key the victory. Dice-K Matsuzaka went seven plus innings of scoreless baseball which allowed the Red Sox to earn a victory when Manny Ramirez drove in the game's only run with a run scoring single in the eighth inning. Matsuzaka went 7.1 innings allowing no runs on six hits. Hideki Okajima relieved Matsuzaka and worked out of a bases loaded, one out jam to keep the game scoreless. Okajima picked up the mound victory and Jonathan Papelbon bounced back to earn his 26th save of the season.

Earlier in the day Tampa Bay lost to Kansas City allowing the Red Sox to pick up a full game in the standings. Boston now trails the Rays by four games. Tampa now heads out for a six-game road trip to New York and Cleveland before the All-Star break. Boston will finish up with five games at home with Minnesota and Baltimore.