Chicago ? Wade Miller ended his long victory drought with his strongest outing since joining the Boston Red Sox.

“I haven’t won for quite a while, so it’s a real good boost for my morale,” Miller said Saturday night after he pitched seven shutout innings to beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-0, for his first win since May 30.

“It was about time, I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time,” he added. “It couldn’t have been against a better team the way they are playing.”

Manny Ramirez homered in the first, and Jason Varitek connected in the ninth for the Red Sox. Mike Myers, Mike Timlin and Curt Schilling completed the seven-hit shutout.

Miller (3-4), bothered by shoulder problems a year ago in Houston and earlier this season with the Red Sox, matched his longest outing of the season.

He foiled White Sox rallies with timely pitches and allowed just five hits. He walked four and struck out four.

“He fights to find what he wants to do and what he’s able to do. He’s a bulldog out on that mound. As the game went on, his stuff definitely got better,” Varitek said.

Ramirez hit a two-run homer to right with two outs in the first off Orlando Hernandez after a walk to David Ortiz. It was Ramirez’s 27th of the season – he won Thursday’s series opener with a ninth-inning solo shot – and it increased his major-league-leading RBI total to 89.

Varitek added a solo drive in the ninth off Damaso Marte.

In the bottom of the ninth, Schilling gave up singles to the first two batters, but got Aaron Rowand to hit into a double play before Ramirez made a nice catch of Timo Perez’s long drive to left, ending the game. Schilling earned his second save in three chances.

Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, left, celebrates with relief pitcher Curt Schilling after the Red Sox beat the White Sox, 3-0. Boston won Saturday in Chicago.

Hernandez (7-3), in his second start since coming off the disabled list for a second time after being bothered by a sore shoulder, allowed four hits and two runs in 62â3 innings. He has not won since June 8.

“Everybody in Boston’s lineup is a good hitter. Their third and fourth guys are unbelievable,” Hernandez said. “I threw a little mistake, and he (Ramirez) hit it very good. I threw to the outside and it came back to the middle of the plate.”

The White Sox loaded the bases on a single by Joe Crede and two walks in the third with one out before Miller struck out Carl Everett and retired Paul Konerko on a fly to right to end the threat.

“That was the difference in the ballgame,” Konerko said. “You got to do the job and at least get back in the game.”

Tadahito Iguchi doubled in the fifth when Ramirez misjudged his liner to left, and it sailed over his head, but Miller got out of that jam by fanning Everett again.

“It was nice to see him end up with a clean seven innings,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “I think he felt good about it and I know we did.”

Devil Rays 3, Orioles 2

St. Petersburg, Fla. – Scott Kazmir pitched seven strong innings, and Alex Gonzalez hit a solo homer off Sidney Ponson, leadingTampa Bay over Baltimore.

Damon Hollins snapped a seventh-inning tie with an RBI single off Ponson (7-9), subject of trade talks between the Orioles and San Diego Padres despite being 0-5 in six starts since last winning on June 18.

Indians 4, Mariners 3

Cleveland – Jhonny Peralta had two RBIs in his first game as Cleveland’s latest No. 3 hitter, and Cliff Lee pitched into the eighth inning to lead the Indians past Seattle.

Peralta, who began the season batting ninth, hit a solo homer in the fourth off Gil Meche (10-7) and added an RBI single in a two-run fifth

Tigers 2-2, Twins 1-5

Detroit – Scott Baker allowed five hits in seven innings, and Justin Morneau homered and drove in two runs as Minnesota beat Detroit in the second game of a day-night doubleheader, after Detroit won the opener.

Athletics 5, Rangers 4

Arlington, Texas – Eric Chavez hit one of Oakland’s four solo homers, and Oakland stretched its winning streak to five with a victory over Texas.

Nick Swisher, Dan Johnson and Jay Payton also connected off starter Ricardo Rodriguez as Oakland matched its season-high for homers. The surging A’s have built a 31â2-game lead over the Rangers for second place in the AL West.

Mark Teixeira hit his 27th homer and Alfonso Soriano his 24th for Texas.