Varitek powers Red Sox in wild win over Twins

Catcher Jason Varitek hit two home runs, then was one of four people ejected by young umpire Todd Tichenor during separate arguments in the seventh inning of Boston's 3-1 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins last night.

The 32-year-old Tichenor, up from the Triple A Pacific Coast League, also gave the boot to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota's catcher Mike Redmond, and Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

Minnesota's Joe Crede hit a home run in his return from a three-game absence because of a bruised hand, but Beckett (5-2) was too much for the Twins. He allowed one run on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings.

Varitek hit solo homers off Anthony Swarzak (1-1) to lead off the fifth and seventh innings, the first time the switch-hitter has hit two home runs in a game off righthanded pitchers since 2004, according to baseballreference.com.

In other games:

* At Baltimore, Luke Scott homered twice and had four RBI, David Hernandez pitched into the sixth inning to win his major league debut, and the Orioles beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-1, for their season-high fourth straight victory. Nolan Reimold also homered for the Orioles.

* At Cleveland, David Huff and four relievers combined to stifle the Tampa Bay Rays, and Victor Martinez drove in both runs as the Indians defeated the defending American League champions, 2-1, to complete a four-game sweep.

* New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada will come off the disabled list before tonight's game at Cleveland.

The All-Star played six innings in an extended spring training game, then said he was scheduled to fly to Cleveland to meet up with his team.

Posada has been sidelined since straining his right hamstring May 4.

* Tom Hicks is willing to give up control of baseball's Texas Rangers if the right deal comes along, but he intends to keep the NHL's Dallas Stars.

Hicks said in late March that he was seeking minority investors to purchase up to 49 percent in each club.

"With the right partners, I would be willing to sell a controlling interest in the Rangers," Hicks said in an e-mail. "Not so with the Stars."

* Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez is being sued for $20 million for allegedly violating a contract he signed with talent scouts in the Dominican Republic before inking a major league contract.

In documents presented to the prosecutor's office in the Peravia judicial district southeast of the Dominican capital, Ramirez and his agent, Jaime Torres, are alleged to owe Julio Martinez and Ramon Fernandez $450,000 from a signing bonus. The $20 million claim is for damages and violating the contract. *