G138: Red Sox 12, Rangers 7

Rangers - 012 000 031 -  7 11  0
Red Sox - 001 803 00x - 12 16  1

Less than 24 hours after getting only two guys to first base in nine innings, the Red Sox topped that by loading the bases with two outs in the first inning. Although they did not score, they did rack up 16 hits (more than in all but seven games this year) and 12 runs before the day was done, including an eight-run, 13-batter, 37-minute fourth inning.

Carl Crawford, back in the lineup after "multiple incidents of clubhouse vomiting" yesterday, capped that eight-run uprising with a grand slam; it began with a single from Josh Reddick and a game-tying home run from Jarrod Saltalamacchia. It was the seventh time this season the Sox have scored eight runs in an inning.

If you see a highlight of Crawford's slam, watch for the bullpen cop lazily twirling his finger like an umpire signaling "home run" even as David Murphy tracks the ball to the fence.

Before the fourth, the day had been fairly frustrating for Boston. Bedard (6-5-3-4-6, 101) was not initially sharp - 62 pitches in the first three innings - and the Sox had left six men on base (including two at third and two at second) in the first three innings.

Reddick had the first four-hit game (4-for-4, 3 runs) of his career (though he also was hit in the left hand with a pitch in his final PA). Mike Aviles came off the bench in the fourth inning when Jed Lowrie left with a sore shoulder and went 2-for-3, playing both shortstop and right field. Dustin Pedroia put the game on ice (12-3) in the sixth with a three-run double.

The thread was also good for numerous puns when Mark Hamburger was pitching for the Rangers.

allan
The Rangers have to play ketchup and I relish having this guy in the game.

jere
He had some cheese, as it turns out

jere
I'd like to see a Red Sox player say "nice buns" to Hamburger as he passes him walking off the field

allan
Hamburger has a reputation for being a hot dog.

jere
How's this guy's slider?

jere
Salty grimaced on that one.

allan
His pitching coach is sometimes known as Hamburger Helper.

jere
Can we get McDonald to pinch-hit?

jere
Jac in the box.

jere
Another whopper inning.

allan
Hamburger is not very happy (meal) about that inning.

jere
We really did the old In N Out on that poor guy

allan
When he makes an error, do they rule it E-coli?

The Yankees beat the Blue Jays 6-4, so Boston remains 0.5 GB.

Colby Lewis / Erik Bedard

Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Gonzalez, 1B
Youkilis, 3B
Ortiz, DH
Lowrie, SS
Crawford, LF
Reddick, RF
Saltalamacchia, C

Game thread here; Blue Jays/Yankees at 1 PM.