BOSTON (AP) Mookie Betts homered early and had a two-run double in Boston's 11-run seventh inning as the Red Sox rallied for a 14-6 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night after their hottest pitcher, David Price, was knocked out with a bruised left wrist.
The 33-year-old lefty exited in the fourth after being struck by a line drive off the bat of Austin Dean on the final play of the previous inning.
Boston's bats knocked around the Marlins' pitchers a few innings later.
With the Red Sox trailing 5-3, Blake Swihart had a pinch-hit RBI single and Jackie Bradley Jr. tied it with a double before Betts hit his go-ahead shot into the right-center gap off Adam Conley (3-4). Brock Holtfollowed with a pinch-hit triple and scored on Xander Bogaerts' single.
Eduardo Nunez and Ian Kinsler had RBI singles before Swihart doubled home his second run of the inning and scored on Bradley's single. By the time it was over, Boston had its biggest inning of the season.
Betts and Eduardo Nunez each hit a solo homer for the Red Sox, who won for the 22nd time in their last 26 interleague games. They increased their AL East lead to 7 1/2 games over the New York Yankees, who lost to the Chicago White Sox.
Dean and Derek Dietrich each had a solo shot for the Marlins. Starlin Castro had two RBI singles.
Boston Red Sox
Tyler Thornburg (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the win.
Signed to a $217 million, seven-year contract as a free agent before the 2016 season, Price has clearly been Boston's best pitcher since the All-Star break, going 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in six starts before Wednesday, prompting him to say recently: "To be able to get back to the pitcher that Boston signed, it's about time."
Price raised his arms quickly in self-defense on Dean's head-high shot, scrambling after the ball to the right side of the mound, but ended up covering first when first baseman Steve Pearce picked it up and tossed it over for the final out of the inning. Price gave up three runs and five hits.
The left-hander looked at his hand as he walked to the dugout and headed straight down the steps toward the clubhouse, followed closely by a team trainer, pitching coach Dana LeVangie and manager Alex Cora.
Miami had scored twice to take a 3-1 lead before Price left, on an RBI double by J.T. Realmuto and a run-scoring single by Castro.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: Ace lefty Chris Sale, on the 10-day disabled list since Aug. 15 with mild left shoulder inflammation, played catch for the third straight day. . Cora said knuckleballer Steven Wright, on the DL since June 23 with left knee inflammation, will be activated Saturday when rosters expand.
GET SOMEONE ELSE
The Marlins used four relivers in the seventh, giving up 12 hits as Boston sent 15 batters to the plate. Andrew Benintendi made all three outs - with a sacrifice bunt and double-play grounder. The Red Sox were 2 for 2 in pinch-hit at-bats. The last time they scored 10 or more runs and had 10 or more hits in an inning was on June 27, 2003, also against the Marlins at Fenway Park.
LONG AT-BAT
Nunez hit his homer on the 12th pitch of the at-bat, after fouling off seven.
UP NEXT
Marlins: After an off day Thursday, RHP Dan Straily (5-6, 4.35 ERA) looks to keep his interleague home success going Friday against the Blue Jays. He's 5-0 with a 1.28 ERA in seven career starts at home in interleague play.
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (15-7, 4.18) starts the opener of a four-game series Thursday in Chicago against the White Sox. He's lost his last two outings, giving up eight total runs over 12 innings.