Hanley Ramirez celebrates his game-winning walk-off single. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Hanley Ramirez became the first Red Sox player with a walk-off hit in the home opener since Mo Vaughn 20 years ago when he blooped a bases-loaded single in the 12th inning of Thursday's 3-2 triumph of the Rays.
Ninth straight win in extras for the Sox and Ramirez has delivered the winning hit the last two to help Boston to a 6-1 record.
Through six games, Ramirez has driven in six runs with three extra-base hits. He's batting .310 with an .816 OPS.
His teammate David Price and manager Alex Cora have been impressed.
"You know, he had the two-run double in Miami, the big hit tonight," Price said. "He's done it for us. That's the guy we all know in here, and that's the guy he expects to be."
"He's healthy, and he feels that he can work on his mechanics and he doesn't have to try to generate power, he can stay back and drive the ball," Cora said. "I'm not only pleased with the way his at-bats are going, but also playing defense and running the bases."
Cora said he spoke with Ramirez in December, and he told Cora not to worry about him because he was healthy.
"When he's healthy--he was healthy two years ago, everybody saw what happened," Cora said. "And last year, he didn't feel healthy, and you saw what happened."
Sox-Rays again Saturday at 1 p.m.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports