With the red-hot Manny Ramirez leading the charge, the 2004 Red Sox rolled on in Dream Bracket 2 by downing the 1954 Indians in five games.

However, the series was much closer than the five-game outcome indicated.

All five contests were decided in the late innings. The Indians jumped out first to take Game 1. But the Red Sox ran the table after that.

For the ’04 Sox, it is now on to the semifinals for a best-of-seven series against the 2001 Mariners, a juggernaut that won an American League-record 116 games.

• Box scores and game summaries | Full bracket and info | Complete Dream Bracket 2 rosters

The simulated competition, featuring many of the greatest teams in baseball history, is being produced by Out of the Park Baseball 21, MLB’s most realistic strategy game (PC and Mac).

Ramirez, who had a dominant run with the Indians before coming to Boston in 2001, smashed four home runs in the series while batting .368.

In fact, Ramirez was one of four Red Sox hitters to go 7-for-19 in the series. The others were Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek and Kevin Millar.

All four pitching wins for the Red Sox were credited to a reliever.

Here is a game-by-game recap of how the ’04 Red Sox dispatched the ’54 Indians.

Game 1: Indians 6, Red Sox 5
The Indians were down by a run in the seventh, but they roared back with a three-run rally in the bottom of the frame. The game-turning flurry came against reliever Derek Lowe, who allowed an RBI single by pinch-hitter Wally Westlake and a two-run single from Jim Hegan. Ramirez carried the Boston offense, belting a three-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the ninth. Early Wynn gave up six hits and four runs over eight innings and earned the win.

Game 2: Red Sox 4, Indians 2
It was a crucial win for the Red Sox, as they earned the split they wanted in the first two road games. But it wasn’t easy. Damon, who had a key ninth-inning homer to clinch the Round-of-32 series against the ’96 Rangers, was at it again. This time, Damon snapped a 2-2 tie with one out in the ninth by ripping an opposite-field, two-run shot against righty Ray Narleski. Though the Indians had the potential go-ahead run at the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, closer Keith Foulke took care of business by striking out Al Smith to end the game.

Game 3: Red Sox 8, Indians 5
As the series shifted to Fenway Park, the Red Sox again decided the game in their final at-bat. Millar broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth. Lefty Hal Newhouser walked Damon with the bases loaded to force in an insurance run. David Ortiz, who had a surprisingly quiet series, made his presence felt when he clocked a three-run homer in the bottom of the third against Bob Lemon. Ramirez hit his seventh homer of Dream Bracket 2, a solo shot in the second off of Lemon.

Game 4: Red Sox 7, Indians 6 (10 innings)
The Red Sox put the Tribe on the brink of elimination with yet another late victory. This one took 10 innings. Dave Roberts, known more for his legs than his bat, hit a walk-off single against Bob Hooper that scored Varitek. Ramirez went deep for a solo shot in the second. Boston came up with a big four-run rally in the sixth. Bill Mueller started the fun with a two-run homer. Varitek added an RBI triple and Millar had an RBI single. Foulke served up a game-tying homer to Larry Doby in the top of the ninth, but the Red Sox had the last laugh in the 10th.

Game 5: Red Sox 5, Indians 4
The series sure looked like it was heading back to Cleveland when the Indians carried a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth. But the Red Sox saved their best for last with a wild four-run rally that ended the series. Roberts pulled Boston within one on a two-out triple. Mueller came to the plate against Hooper and jumped on the first pitch he saw for a walk-off, two-run double. It was Damon who dashed in with the run that sent the Indians home. Lowe, who was the winner for the ’04 Sox in all three postseason clinchers, fittingly got the win in this clincher by pitching a scoreless top of the ninth.