Sox crush Rangers behind Papi's grand slam

Sox 11, Texas 3
WP: Matsuzaka (4-0)
LP: Mendoza (0-2)
SV: None
HRs: BOS-Ortiz (2), Pedroia (1); TEX-Blalock (3)

The score didn't remain 1-0 for long as Papi watches his shot clear the bases in the 3rd

SUMMARY
David Ortiz broke out of his season-long slump in a big way tonight, blasting a 3rd inning grand slam to the opposite field and driving in another run with a single in the 8th, and Daisuke Matsuzaka became the AL's first 4-game winner as Boston rolled the Rangers at Fenway.

Superstar: Ortiz 2-4, R, 5BI, GS
Not only did Papi hit his first homer since April 2nd in Oakland, but he knocked in more runs in this game than he had all year, and he raised his average 23 points. He's still only batting .134, but he's been swinging the bat much better this past week.

The Biggest Loser(s): Rangers pitchers 8IP, 11R, 11H, 5BB, 4K, 2HR, HBP
Starter and former Red Sox farmhand Luis Mendoza (7ER in 3 innings) was awful, but relievers Josh Rupe and Dustin Nippert weren't much better as each got hammered like chopped meat, turning this game into glorified BP for Boston.

RECAP:
Finally, RSN has a reason to thank the MLB schedule makers.

After beginning the year thousands of miles from home in three different countries, then playing a brief homestand and another road trip that had them facing the Stankees 5 times in the last week, the road warriors were rewarded when they returned home tonight to open a stretch of 15 out of 18 games at Fenway:

the pitching-challenged, perennially disappointing Texas Rangers.

In the words of Ricky Bobby, thank you sweet baby Jesus.

The Sox treated the break from the pressure-packed, media-centric Stankees series' like a CPA treats April 16th - like an unofficial vacation day, as they clobbered the Rangers pitchers early and often en route to a ho-hum 11-3 victory.

Although Daisuke Matsuzaka (5.1IP, 5H, 3ER, 2BB, 4K, HR) wasn't sharp again, especially early on when he surrendered a pair of hits and a couple of walks, plus a stolen base and a sac fly in the first three innings, his offense remained hot enough to bail him out and allow him to win his 4th consecutive start, making him the first four game winner in the American League this year.

And it didn't take long for the offense to get him out of that 1-0 hole, thanks to the resurgent bat of David Ortiz.

Following the Ranger's sac fly in the 3rd that gave them the lead, Boston immediately loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning against former prospect Mendoza on a double by Jed Lowrie (2-3, R, BI) and consecutive walks to Ellsbury and Pedroia.

Up stepped Papi, whose bat came alive a bit in the series in New York and had shown signs of coming out of his season-long funk. What a perfect opportunity to silence some of the growing critics who have been whispering that he is either too hurt or getting too old to continue putting up Ortiz-like numbers.

All it took was one pitch for Papi to dispel those rumors as he launched a Mendoza offering high and deep over the Monster for a crowd-pleasing, critic-silencing grand slam, the 8th of his career and first since last August 18th against the Angels' Jered Weaver.

Hilarity ensued as his teammates gave him the silent treatment at first when he entered the dugout, only to jump up and mob the affable giant moments later as he strolled down the bench looking slightly bemused.

The good times continued to roll in the next inning as Boston drove Mendoza from the game when they scored 5 more runs to blow the game wide open. A leadoff walk by JD Drew, the only starter not to record a hit, was followed by a booming double off the top of the Monster by Cap'n Tek to push the lead to 5-1, and when Mayor Casey (2-4, 2R) followed that hit with a single, Mendoza was yanked in favor of Josh Rupe.

Unfortunately for Texas manager Ron Washington, the Sox treated Rupe like a rube, greeting his arrival with a sac fly by Lowrie, a triple over the center fielder's head by Jacoby Ellsbury, and a 2-run homer by Pedroia that ran the score to 9-1 and essentially turned the remainder of the game into garbage time.

When Hank Blalock blasted a 2-run shot off Dice-K in the 6th, Tito pulled the tiring starter (101 pitches thru 5 1/2) and saw his bullpen turn in 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. In the "insult to injury" department, Boston got those two runs back on a single by Ortiz in the 8th that scored Casey, and when the cutoff got away from everyone, Ellsbury scampered home to finish the scoring and send the crowd home happy to see a blowout in the team's return to home turf.

There were a lot of good things to build off of in this one, and with three more games coming against Texas, including the Patriot's Day brunch game on Monday, the team could be in excellent position to enlarge its division lead before the tough Anaheim Angels come to Fenway on Tuesday.

As long as Papi keeps hitting like he's capable, and the rest of the team stays hot, the sky's the limit for this club as it finally shakes off the jet lag from the early travels.

No thanks to the schedule makers for that, though.

RECORD: 11-7
STREAK: W2
AL EAST: Up 1/2 gm
UP NEXT: Sat vs Tex 7pm Jennings vs. Lester