Recap: Boston vs. Florida

Sports Network | June 16, 2009

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - David Ortiz finished 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI as Boston rocked Florida, 8-2, in the opener of a three-game interleague set at Fenway Park.

Jason Bay and Nick Green each drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who reeled off seven consecutive runs to snap an early tie and have won six of their last seven games.

Tim Wakefield (9-3) earned the win by allowing just six hits and a pair of runs over six full frames, fanning four with one walk.

Chris Coghlan drove in a pair of runs while Emilio Bonifacio and Jorge Cantu both hit safely twice for the Marlins, whose three-game win streak came to an end.

Chris Volstad (4-7) lasted just 3 2/3 innings, tagged for nine hits and eight runs in defeat.

Bay's single in the home third put the Sox back on top 2-1, and Ortiz launched a leadoff shot to start the fourth into the bullpen for a 3-1 edge. Boston added five more runs in the frame, chasing Volstad in the process.

Jacoby Ellsbury singled with one down and stole second, then Green plated him with a double. George Kottaras followed with an RBI single for a 5-1 game, then Dustin Pedroia singled. J.D. Drew grounded out but Kevin Youkilis walked to load the bases and Burke Badenhop was called on.

He issued a bases-loaded walk to Bay then a two-run single from Ortiz and the Sox had a seven-run advantage.

Coghlan struck back with a run-scoring double with two down in the fifth for an 8-2 contest, but Wakefield retired Ross Gload to end the inning.

In essence, the veteran knuckleballer retired the side in the sixth. Hanley Ramirez led off with a hit but was thrown out by Bay trying to stretch it into a double. Cantu fouled out and Jeremy Hermida flew out to end his outing.

Manny Delcarmen and Takashi Saito each turned in scoreless innings of relief, then Daniel Bard's only blemish in the ninth was a one-out single to Cantu before retiring the next two batters to finish the game.

The Sox got a run in the second, as Ellsbury singled, stole second and scored as Green tapped an infield single to short. The Marlins countered in the third as Bonifacio beat out an infield single, swiped second and came home on a base hit from Coghlan.

Boston took two of three in the teams' previous meeting, back in 2006...The Sox also won two of three at Fenway in the last matchup in Boston, back in 2003...Badenhop hurled the final 4 1/3 innings for Florida, allowing four hits with two strikeouts and two walks...Prior to the game, Red Sox manager Terry Francona confirmed that John Smoltz will start and throw three innings for Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday and then make his season debut on Thursday, June 25 against Washington...Boston owns the best home record in the majors at 22-8...Hollywood actor and Boston native Ben Affleck was in attendance, sitting in the seats atop the Green Monster.