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Boston routs Detroit in rain-shortened game

May 26, 2011 - 11:41 PM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Jacoby Ellsbury clubbed a three-run homer, as the Boston Red Sox earned an easy 14-1 win over the Tigers in a 7 1/2-inning rain-shortened opener of a four-game set at Comerica Park.

Carl Crawford continued to climb out of his early-season slump, finishing 4- for-5 with a pair of triples, three runs batted in and two runs scored for Boston, which was coming off a 14-2 pounding of Cleveland on Wednesday.

"It feels real good just to be able to hit the ball," said Crawford, who had four hits, including a solo homer, two doubles and three runs scored on Wednesday. "I haven't felt that way in a long time, so to have that feeling back for a few days felt great."

The Red Sox have won three straight and 11 of their last 13 games overall. It was only the eighth time they have scored 14 runs in consecutive games since 1920 and first since July 2-3, 1998.

Josh Reddick, recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket prior to the game, went 3- for-5, drove in three and scored twice in the win.

Alfredo Aceves (2-0) turned in a solid six-inning start, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Alex Avila knocked in the lone run for the Tigers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Max Scherzer (6-2) lasted only two-plus innings after getting raked for seven runs on as many hits and two walks.

"It just wasn't Max's day," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland. "When he threw it good they hit it bad but got good results, and when he threw it bad they hit it good and got really good results."

Boston opened the scoring with a five-run second. David Ortiz and Crawford got the inning started with consecutive singles before Drew Sutton plated Ortiz with a double to right. Reddick followed with an RBI base hit and two batters later Ellsbury hit a three-run shot into the right-field seats.

Crawford's two RBI triple to center in the third put the Red Sox up 7-0, but Detroit got on the board in the fourth on a run-scoring single by Avila.

Detroit stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the fifth and Boston tacked on another in the sixth when Adrian Gonzalez's hard hit ball to second couldn't be handled by Scott Sizemore, allowing Reddick to score.

Ortiz led off the seventh with a double and crossed the plate when Crawford followed with a triple to give the Red Sox a 9-1 edge.

The rout continued in the eighth, as Boston added five more. An RBI double by Pedroia was followed by a run-scoring single from Gonzalez. Sutton then knocked in a run with a double and a two RBI base hit off the bat of Reddick made it 14-1.

Playing in a steady rain throughout the game, the tarp was put on the field after 7 1/2 innings before eventually being called and deemed an official game following a 55 minute rain delay.

Game Notes

Prior to the game, Boston placed outfielder Darnell McDonald on the 15-day disabled list with a left quadriceps injury, recalled Reddick and outrighted outfielder Daniel Nava to Pawtucket after being designated for assignment last Friday...Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew missed his second straight game with a right hamstring strain, while third baseman Kevin Youkilis returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday's game with a sore left hand. Youkilis went 1- for-5 with a run scored...The Red Sox swept a two-game home set from the Tigers last week and have won 16 of the past 21 games in this series.