Man, where to begin?  I’ll start with the final score:  Rangers 18, Red Sox 3.  Pretty isn’t it?  Who would have thought I could ever feel comfortable with Koji Uehara taking the mound in late innings any situation?  I guess when he has a 14-run lead to work with, it’s hard to eff it up.  Let’s recap all the awesome…

The madness began in the 2nd inning.  With one out, Nelson Cruz laced a double to centerfield.  Mike Napoli, FINALLY breaking out of his slump, hit a moonshot over the Monster to tie the game.  A walk to Yorvit Torrealba, a single by Craig Gentry (3 cheers for finally getting on base!), and a walk by Ian Kinsler loaded the bases.  Singles by Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton (due to some questionable defensive plays by the Red Sox) would score Torrealba and Gentry.  4-2 Rangers

Oh, but there’s more…

Cruz led off the 3rd inning with a single.  Napoli and Torrealba both walked to load the bases for Gentry.    And we got a pitcher change!  Gentry hits into a fielder’s choice, scoring Cruz.  Kinsler would walk to load the bases (AGAIN) for Andrus, who hit a LONG sac fly to right, scoring Torrealba.  (Yeah, in RBiA that would’ve been a grand slam.  Drats.)  Hamilton then singled to right, scoring Gentry.  7-2 Rangers

Michael Young homered (his 2nd of the season) into the Red Sox bullpen in the 6th.  8-2 Rangers 

Wait!  Wait!  It gets better!

In the 8th, a double by Kinsler would start the scoring-frenzy.  A 3-run home run by Hamilton, who had 5 RBI for the night, made the score 11-2.  Followed quickly by an Adrian Beltre home run (who finally joins in on the hitting fun).  David Murphy, who entered the game for Michael Young, singled.

And any Rangers hitting-spectacle wouldn’t be complete without a Boomstick appearance.  Thank you, Nelly Cruz!  A single by Napoli, more awesome Red Sox defense, a fielder’s choice by Kinsler, and a double by Andrus, the Rangers now have 16 runs.  What?!

Surely that’s it…

Then Vicente Padilla came in to pitch the 9th for the Red Sox.  (And Laura laughs A LOT…)  Murphy singled and Napoli homered (his second 2-run home run of the evening).  18-3 Rangers

I guess I should mention the pitching, huh?

Well, Colby Lewis took the mound for the Rangers tonight in Fenway.  Things started out a bit rocky for the Cobra, giving up a 2-run home run to Dustin Pedroia in the 1st, followed by a single and a double, but he was able to get out of the inning only down 2 runs.  And then things were easy breezy then on out.  Lewis pitched 7 innings, allowing 8 hits (4 of which were in the 1st), 2 runs, 0 walks and struck out 7.  Not too shabby.

Koji Uehara came in the 8th and shockingly only gave up 1 run (a home run to Gonzalez).  Mark Lowe would come in to pitch a 1-hit 9th.

A few notes…

• Hamilton’s awesome arm made a debut in the 4th, throwing out Repko who was trying to take 2nd on a single.
• This was the shortest start of Jon Lester’s career, going 2 innings (+ 3 batters).
• Every Ranger starter had at least 1 hit.
• It only took 8 batters to get the 1st out in the 8th.

AN EXTRA TREAT!

Because I pay close attention to all the baseball that is being played, I must point out my favorite gem from tonight’s game (if you don’t know me that well, I LOVE quotes taken out of context)…

“You know I don’t watch them. I know it feels good and sounds good and Ron (Washington) yells ‘Yes!’”

Fun game:  What is Josh talking about?

Duh. Clearly a home run.  Get your mind out of the gutter.