In 2003, Ramirez again posted strong offensive numbers, finishing with a .325 average, 37 home runs, and 104 RBI. The second half surge of newly acquired fellow Dominican slugger David Ortiz gave the Red Sox a formidable one-two punch in the middle of the lineup with Ramirez. However, in the summer, Ramirez missed several games with pharyngitis, but got into hot water as he was spotted in a bar in the hotel where he lived with a close friend, Yankees infielder Enrique Wilson, despite being supposedly too ill to play in the series against the rival Yankees. Ramirez and Wilson both maintained that Manny was just talking to his friend in that setting, and not actually drinking or partying as the media speculated. Boston manager Grady Little benched Ramirez for one game as a result. Despite this distraction, the Red Sox finished the season 95-67, qualifying for the MLB postseason for the first time with Ramirez. In the decisive fifth game of their Division Series matchup against the Oakland Athletics, Ramirez broke a 6th inning 1-1 tie by launching a go-ahead three-run homer off Barry Zito that set up an ALCS showdown with the rival Yankees. In ALCS Game 3, Ramirez was at the center of a bench-clearing brawl. Early in the game, Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martínez had hit Yankees outfielder Karim Garcia up high with a pitch, sparking heated dialogue, and a hard slide by Garcia into Red Sox second baseman Todd Walker had exacerbated the tensions. The very next inning, Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens threw a pitch high and inside to Ramirez, and Manny charged the mound, sparking the melee. The Red Sox lost the game 4-3. Despite Ramirez's strong play in the ALCS against the Yankees (.310 with 2 home runs), the Red Sox fell to the Yankees in the decisive seventh game on Aaron Boone's infamous extra-inning, walk-off home run.