Ramirez at ease even with ALCS on the line

Dozens of reporters and cameramen poured into the visitors clubhouse at Jacobs Field.

A not-so-spacious rectangular room quickly became cramped with bodies, furniture and equipment bags.

Relaxed right in the middle of it all, already showered and in shirt and tie, sat Manny Ramirez on a leather couch next to teammate David Ortiz.

Ramirez always seems at ease, and that did not change late Thursday night after helping the Red Sox stave off elimination against the Indians in Game 5 of the ALCS.

Public Enemy No. 1 in Cleveland, the ex-Indian looks nothing the part of the antagonist. With a smile on his face and a media audience gathering around, Manny stayed Manny.

"Whatever happens, happens," Ramirez said of dealing with the do-or-die nature of Boston's season, which continues with tonight's Game 6 at Fenway Park.

The Indians lead the series 3-2 after the Red Sox won Game 5, 7-1.

Ramirez played his usual big role in the win, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He is hitting .471 in the series with six walks, two homers and eight RBIs.

Surely, Ramirez has to feel some sense of satisfaction in beating his former team at Jacobs Field, where the crowd taunted him endlessly for three games.

"I don't care about that," he said. "I just play my game."

His game is always entertaining. Long home runs. Look-at-me theatrics.

Defensive mishaps sprinkled in with sliding catches. Occasional baserunning blunders sometimes offsetting his amazing ability to hit a baseball.

On Thursday, he delivered a "Manny Moment" when he thought he launched a home run to center field, admired the blast and began to trot to first. When the ball bounced back in play, and umpires ruled that it had not cleared the yellow line that would have made it a homer, Ramirez was stuck with a long single.

An animated Ramirez began signaling for a time-out like a quarterback, then argued the call. He was Joe Cool, though, several hours later.

What did he say to the umpire?

"Nothing," Ramirez deadpanned as reporters laughed.

What did the umpire say in explaining the call to him?

"I don't know," Ramirez said with a chuckle, evoking more laughter from his audience.

Ortiz even got into the act, taking over a microphone from a reporter and jokingly asking questions of his teammate.

Ramirez loved it.

"There's no pressure," he said later.

Maybe that's why he has become such a feared hitter in the postseason and the owner of several playoff records.

But don't think Ramirez is totally unaware of things. He couldn't wait to get back to Fenway Park.

"That's where the magic happens."

Reach Repository sports writer Chris Beaven at (330) 580-8345 or e-mail chris.beaven@cantonrep.com