Friday, May 08, 2009

12 Up, 12 In

Single, walk, double, walk, single, walk, double, single, single, single, single, home run.

That is what transpired in the bottom of the sixth inning at Fenway Park last night, as the Red Sox tied the MLB record set by the Brooklyn Dodgers in May 1953 by scoring 12 runs before the first out of an inning was made against the Indians. They went from losing 2-1 to leading 13-2 by the time the inning concluded 34 minutes later.

And they did it on a night when four regulars, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, Jacoby Ellsbury and Jason Varitek, all sat out for one reason or another.

It was the most runs the Sox scored in an inning since their 14-run first inning explosion against the Florida Marlins in 2003. Jason Bay had a double and home run and drove in four in the inning. Julio Lugo had two hits and scored both times. Rocco Baldelli, fresh off the DL, drove in two runs with a single after making a terrific catch to save a run in the top of the inning.

And the win went to Tim Wakefield, who was the beneficiary of the 12 runs in the sixth. He started out the night strong, and didn't give up a hit until the fourth. But he allowed two runs in the fifth, and got out of a bases loaded jam that inning. His night was completed when the Sox completely blew the game wide open.

The 13-3 win was a nice way to get ready for the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend, as they are fresh off a two-game sweep at The Wind Tunnel of the New York Yankees.

Didn't some other team do the same thing to them earlier this week?

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