G29: Red Sox 13, Spiders 3

Cleveland - 000 02 0 010 -  3  7  0
Red Sox   - 100 0012 00x - 13 13  0

After David Ortiz was scratched from the original lineup, Terry Francona shuffled things around and his batting order looked more appropriate for a split squad Grapefruit game in March.

Those nine hitters made American League history in the sixth inning when they scored 12 runs before making an out. The previous AL record had been 11 runs by the Tigers against the Yankees on June 17, 1925. Boston's outburst also tied the major league record, set by the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Phillies, in the eighth inning on May 24, 1953.

Julio Lugo had opened the first inning with a triple and scored on Dustin Pedroia's single, but after that, the Red Sox did little harm to Sowers until the sixth.

Trailing Cleveland 2-1, Lugo singled to left. Pedroia walked. Jason Bay doubled to left-center, scoring Lugo and tying the game at 2-2. Mike Lowell was walked intentionally, loading the bases for Rocco Baldelli.

Baldelli singled to right-center and Boston led 4-2. J.D. Drew walked and Masa Kobayashi relieved Sowers. Jeff Bailey doubled down the left field line for two more runs (6-2). Nick Green reached on an infield single (beating second baseman Luis Valbuena in a foot race to the bag), reloading the bases.

George Kottaras hit a two-run single to center (8-2). Lugo was safe on an infield single, beating the throw from third. Pedroia singled to left for two runs (10-2). Matt Herges came on as the Spiders' third pitcher of the inning and he fell behind Bay 3-1 before Bay crushed a ball to right-center for a three-run homer (13-2).

12 batters: 6 singles, 2 doubles, 1 home run, 3 walks, 12 runs, 0 outs!

Herges got the next three batters -- Lowell 6-3, Baldelli K, Drew 4-3 -- and the inning was over.

It was the most runs scored by the Red Sox in one inning since they got 14 in the first inning (including 10 before an out was recorded) on June 27, 2003 against the Marlins.

***

Jeremy Sowers (2009 debut; 2008: 5.58, 80 ERA+) / Tim Wakefield (2.91, 174 ERA+)

When Wakefield is going good, 1995 always comes up.

The knuckleball was good, but beyond that I don't know what went right. I know I was 14-1 and finished 16-8, but I didn't really pitch bad the last nine games. My ERA only went up one point in 10 games.

Well, Wake he had a 5.60 ERA in his last nine games in 1995: 64.1 innings, 65 hits, 31 walks, 40 strikeouts, 10 home runs, Red Sox went 3-7.

***

John Farrell, WEEI, on Joba Chamberlain hitting Jason bay on Tuesday night:

Those things aren't forgotten. ... We know there's a history there between the pitcher in New York and our guys here ... he strikes out 12 guys, doesn't seem to have too many command issues, and if there was a purpose or intent to throw up and in, or if the intent was even further than that, to send a clear-cut message, you can disguise it a little bit more than with a first-pitch pitch in the middle of the back to Jason Bay. ... And we've got a number of games left with these guys.

Bay:

That kind of stuff happens. ... No one ever really knows. It's not the first time I've been hit, and it won't be the last.

Notes: Jacoby Ellsbury may play tonight, but Kevin Youkilis will probably have another night off. ... Daisuke Matsuzaka may make his next start with Portland. ... John Smoltz threw comfortably from 60 feet. ... Jed Lowrie was in the clubhouse sporting a brace on his left wrist.

Jonathan Van Every smashed his shoulder into the center field wall trying to catch a fly ball hit by Victor Martinez in the fifth:

I felt like I got run over by a truck. Concrete is a lot harder than I am. But I'll be OK. ... My joints are a little sore. ... I'm frightened to [look at a replay].