Red Sox win a wild one

IN THERE — Texas' Milton Bradley (left) beats the throw to Boston's Kevin Cash and scores on a double by Frank Catalanotto in the sixth inning Tuesday in Boston. The Red Sox won, though, 19-17. BOSTON (AP) — Terry Francona watched Boston's 10- run lead disappear and was searching for a new strategy as 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.

Texas (61-59) plays at Boston again tonight and on Thursday, both 6 p.m. Central-time starts.

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 beat Philadelphia 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.

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.

Byrd went 5-or-6 and is 21- for-34 in his last eight games.