Boston ? Manny Ramirez charged in from left field and Edgar Renteria ran out from shortstop. They collided, leaving fans silent and the Boston Red Sox hopes for a healthy stretch drive on the ground.

After a few minutes, though, they got up and walked to the dugout without any apparent serious injuries. Then the Red Sox went on to beat the Kansas City Royals, 8-5, Wednesday night and open a 41â2-game lead in the AL East, their biggest of the season, over the New York Yankees.

Ramirez, who hit his AL-leading 30th homer in the first, left the game after the collision in the second and was listed as day-to-day because of bruises on the right side of his face and chest. Renteria stayed in the game until he left because of sore ribs for pinch hitter Doug Mirabelli in the seventh.

They were hurt when Ruben Gotay lifted a fly to short left field that Ramirez caught for the third out.

“I knew when it was hit they were definitely going to be in trouble unless somebody called the ball,” said Johnny Damon, who watched from center field. “Those guys are so important to our team, we need them to get healthy as quick as possible.”

Kansas City pitcher Kyle Snyder hurls against Boston. The Red Sox beat up on Snyder and the Royals, 8-5, Wednesday in Boston.

Before leaving, Ramirez hit a three-run homer for the second straight day in his only at bat.

“If that’s what we get, one at bat, that’s the way to do it,” Damon said.

Ramirez also suffered a bloody nose and was replaced by Gabe Kapler in the field in the third.

Renteria may play today in the finale of the three-game series.

“It was bad,” Kansas City manager Buddy Bell said. “We didn’t play very good (in) any phase, offensively, defensively, pitching.”

Wade Miller (4-4) went six innings for the win, and Curt Schilling pitched the ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.

The Royals took a 4-3 lead with two runs in the second and two in the fourth. Boston then scored twice in the fourth off Kyle Snyder (0-3) and twice in the fifth, sending eight batters to the plate in each inning.

“I made quite a few bad pitches in the first inning,” Snyder said. The Red Sox have “as good a hitting offensive club that there is in the big leagues.”

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And Ramirez is their most dangerous hitter.

“We hit hard,” Renteria said. “I thought Manny was going to be all right because he’s a big man. I’m so skinny.”

Ramirez’s homer made him the seventh major leaguer to reach 30 homers and 100 RBIs in at least eight straight seasons. The others are Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth and Albert Belle.

Ramirez and Foxx are the only players in Red Sox history with five consecutive 30-homer seasons.

Notes: Angel Berroa made just four errors in his previous 44 games before making two in the first five innings Wednesday. … John Buck of the Royals was 1-for-18 before his double in the seventh.