BOSTON — Terry Francona watched Boston’s 10-run lead disappear and was searching for a new strategy as the numbers on the scoreboard started to resemble a football game.
“At some point,” the Red Sox manager said, “you’re thinking about going for a field goal.”
That’s the type of night it was — it was hard for anyone to keep track of anything.
In one of the wildest games of the season, Youkilis’ go-ahead homer sent Boston to a 19-17 win after the Texas Rangers fought back from a 10-run first inning Tuesday night that included a pair of three-run homers by David Ortiz.
Youkilis drove a three-run shot over Fenway Park’s Green Monster in the eighth inning for his second homer of a dizzying night, bringing fans to their feet as he circled the bases with uncharacteristic speed.
“I also felt the emotion of the boos today,” after two strikeouts, he said. “So the roller coaster ride in Boston’s always fun. Luckily, we got the cheers at the end.”
The combined 36 runs tied in AL record set on June 29, 1950, when the Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Athletics 22-14. The teams totaled 37 hits.
The 19 runs were the most scored by the Red Sox this season and ruined a Rangers comeback that matched the greatest ever against Boston. The Red Sox also squandered a 10-run lead on June 4, 1989, against Toronto when they lost 13-11 in 12 innings after they led 10-0 through six.
“After that first inning when they had us down 10-0, I think everybody in the ballpark and everybody in all of Massachusetts thought that the game was over,” said Rangers manager Ron Washington, whose team had 20 hits for the second straight game.
Texas’ Marlon Byrd and Boston’s Dustin Pedroia had five hits each. Ortiz had six RBIs and Youkilis had five. Ian Kinsler and Chris Davis had four RBIs apiece for Texas. And Rangers starter Scott Feldman became the first major league pitcher to allow 12 runs and not take the loss since Gene Packard of the St. Louis Cardinals got the win in a 16-12 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 3, 1918.
“Nobody should ever score 10 runs in the first inning. It’s embarrassing,” Feldman said. “But we know our team is capable of fighting back.”
Texas took a 15-14 lead with eight runs in the fifth and five in the six. Each team scored a run in the seventh to set up the decisive eighth.
Pedroia tied it at 16 with an RBI double and Ortiz was intentionally walked to get to Youkilis, who was in the cleanup spot vacated when Manny Ramirez was traded July 31 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“This was a game that I think potentially could have been a major downer for us,” Mike Lowell said, “and we actually turned around and made it actually a great win.”
But Lowell strained a muscle in his right side while swinging in the seventh and left the game. He is scheduled to have an MRI Wednesday and may go on the disabled list.
Texas wasn’t done after Youkilis’ 22nd homer, off Frank Francisco (2-4). Brandon Boggs doubled in a run in the ninth, but Jonathan Papelbon settled down to record his 32nd save in 36 opportunities.
“That was a tough one to lose,” Texas catcher Gerald Laird said. “It would have been easy to pack it in.”
Hideki Okajima (3-2) got the win in a game that lasted 3 hours, 58 minutes.
The Rangers, who lead the majors in batting average, put on another hitting display after their 15-7 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
“If they didn’t quit tonight. I don’t think they’re ever going to quit,” Washington said.
Ortiz’s first homer followed a leadoff walk to J.D. Drew and a single by Pedroia. His second came after RBI singles by Drew and Pedroia. The other runs in the first inning scored on Jed Lowrie’s two-run double.
Ortiz said sitting out Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox to rest his sore wrist helped.
“That way I could have more days like this,” he said.
Texas cut the lead to 10-2 on Davis’ two-run single in the second, but Boston scored twice in the third off Josh Rupe on a bases-loaded walk to Lowell and an RBI single by Jason Bay.
Charlie Zink made his major league debut for Boston, pitching in place of injured Tim Wakefield — a fellow knuckleballer. Zink was lifted with one out in the fifth after giving up a run-scoring single to Josh Hamilton, an RBI double to Byrd and a two-run double to Frank Catalanotto.
Javier Lopez allowed Davis’ run-scoring single that made it 12-7. After Lopez struck out Ramon Vazquez, Kinsler hit a three-run homer, his 16th, off David Aardsma.
The Rangers fell behind 14-10 after five, but took a 15-14 lead in the sixth on Kinsler’s sacrifice fly.
Notes: Byrd went 5-or-6 and is 21-for-34 in his last eight games.
… The last time a team came back from a 10-run deficit was May 8, 2004, when the Rangers rallied from a 14-4 deficit to win 16-15 in 10 innings, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … Boston acquired RHP Paul Byrd from Cleveland for cash or a player to be named and placed Wakefield on the 15-day disabled list with a stiff right shoulder. … Zink was returned to Triple-A Pawtucket after the game.
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