BOSTON -- David Ortiz was one of three Red Sox players who finished Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Seattle Mariners with multiple hits. But the mere fact that Ortiz finished a game with two hits is nothing special.
What's unique is that those two hits were a home run and a bunt single.
Ortiz ripped his eighth home run of the season over the bullpen in the bottom of the third, which gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. With the shot he passed Dwight Evans for sole possession of 56th place on Major League Baseball's all-time home-run list.
Two innings later, Ortiz led off the bottom of the fifth by taking full advantage of the shift, and bunted for a base hit down the third-base line.
"I hope he gets 10 of those this year," said Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine after the win. "It spreads out that, and that'll get another 10 hits through the right side of the infield."
It marked the first bunt single of the season for the Red Sox, and Ortiz' first bunt single since 2010.
"It's part of the game," said Ortiz. "Just keep it simple. Nothing man, you've got to play the game the way it's supposed to be."
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When Ortiz was asked if he got the green light to bunt, he asked, "Green light for what?"
"Of course. It's me hitting. Nobody else," said Ortiz with a laugh.
When Valentine was asked if Ortiz bunted on his own, the Red Sox manager said, "Absolutely."