NEW YORK -- On July 31, it seemed fair to wonder how the departure of cleanup hitter Manny Ramirez might impact the Red Sox lineup. Four weeks later, it appears that the offense has been improved. 

The unexpected development has occurred despite not only the departure of Ramirez but also amidst injuries that have forced middle-of-the-order contributors Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew to the disabled list. Julio Lugo has also been sidelined by his quadriceps strain. And Sean Casey (strained neck) and Brandon Moss (traded to Pittsburgh), the players who served as first-half reinforcements for the lineup, are also gone. 

“The lineup changes everyday based on who's available,” said G.M. Theo Epstein. “I feel like we haven't really had our true lineup all year, because there's always been someone out or another.”

No matter. The Sox offense has decimated the opposing pitchers who they've seen this month. 

Boston has scored seven or more runs in 10 of their 23 games this month. They are averaging 6.25 runs per game in August, making this their biggest offensive month of the season. 

The feat has been accomplished with a familiar formula: drive up the starter's pitch count, drive him out of the game and go bananas against opponents' bullpens. In 11 of Boston's games this month—including each of the first two games of the Yankees series—the opposing starter has failed to pitch five full innings. 

Until Jason Bay's arrival, the team had not accomplished that feat more than six times in any single page turn of the calendar. Now, though without several contributors, the Sox have achieved a familiar grinding approach. 

“That's kind of our formula: to get into other teams' bullpens and to make them work,” said Lowell. “I think it puts a lot of pressure on the opposing pitcher. He has to make good pitch after good pitch after good pitch.”

Five Red Sox regulars are hitting at least .300 this month. Seven have an OPS of at least .800. The Sox have had to alter their personnel, but their success has not suffered despite that need.

“We needed to solidify our team after the trade deadline. We've been able to do that,” said catcher Jason Varitek. “We've had different contributions. That's why we've been able to string together some different wins.”

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Bay continued his enormously productive run since joining the Red Sox. He went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs on a two-run double, run-scoring triple and sac fly last night. He now has 10 multi-hit games and 23 RBIs in 23 contests since coming to Boston. 

That start has offered a resounding response to questions about how Bay might respond to the pressure of playing in Boston, particularly as the replacement for a likely Hall of Famer in Ramirez. Four weeks into his Sox career, Bay continues to shrug off such matters.

“If I was an in-house option and I was here when Manny was here, and I saw that and tried to live up to that, I think it might have been a little bit tougher. Being as how we crossed paths in the air, I don't know what went on here,” said Bay. “Having not seen it first hand, there was really nothing for me to live up to. I was just coming up here and playing an empty position.”

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Epstein said that he didn't expect any further trades before September 1. Any further contributions are expected to come from the farm system ... Mark Kotsay, acquired yesterday from the Braves, was on hand for last night's game. He will start in right field on Thursday, with Coco Crisp getting the day off against right-hander Mike Mussina ...

Though Sean Casey has not played since August 20 due to a stiff neck, the Sox are hoping that he will be able to avoid a trip to the D.L. Casey did purchase two bases from Yankee Stadium, while Paul Byrd locked up eight of the mementos ...

Epstein said that the team is comfortable with the innings load assumed to date by Justin Masterson, and suggested that he should not have any unusual workload restrictions down the stretch.

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The Red Sox announced four of their seven minor leaguers who will go to the Arizona Fall League: right-handed pitchers T.J. Large, Ryan Lawson and Beau Vaughan, and catcher Mark Wagner.

Rob Bradford contributed to this report.

Alex Speier is a Senior Writer for WEEI.com.