(AFP) – Oct 24, 2007

BOSTON, United States (AFP) — Boston Red Sox batters pounded 17 hits to power the greatest scoring performance in a World Series opener and humble Colorado 13-1 on Wednesday in the most lopsided rout of a Series opener.

Boston rookie Dustin Pedroia hit a home run on Colorado's second pitch of the game while sluggers David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Julio Lugo each smacked three hits, part of a record barrage of nine extra-base hits for the Red Sox.

"This team loves to hit," Red Sox slugger Kevin Youkilis said. "Our motto is early and often. Dustin hit that home run and that was huge. David did a great job. Julio hit the ball well and Manny exceptionally well."

The worst previous blowout in a Series opener came when Atlanta humbled the New York Yankees 12-1 in 1996. Boston's run total was the biggest in any Series opener and the runaway was the fourth-most lopsided romp in Series history.

Red Sox right-handed pitcher Josh Beckett baffled Colorado batters, allowing one run on six hits over seven innings, improving to 4-0 in the playoffs and making the Rockies' World Series debut a night they would like to forget.

"That's not the way we drew it up," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "You saw Beckett. I saw our inability to shut down innings. They scored all but two of their runs with two outs. We're a no-excuse ball club. We got outplayed."

Major League Baseball's best-of-seven championship final continues Thursday with Boston veteran Curt Schilling and Dominican right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies on the mound in game two before the 103rd Series shifts to Denver.

"When the ball was in the strike zone we took some pretty good swings," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "We did a good job. Now we'll put it behind us and move on. We're smart enough to know tomorrow's game is all that matters."

The Rockies had won 21 of their prior 22 games, tying a playoff record with a 7-0 post-season start, but Colorado had not played in eight days, the longest layoff since 1910 for any team entering a World Series, and the rust showed.

"One of the strengths this club has had throughout the season is our confidence hasn't been shaken by the results of a game," Hurdle said. "I feel real confident we will get back out there and get after it tomorrow."

On a cool and sometimes rainy night, Boston batters tagged Colorado starter Jeff Francis for six runs on 10 hits in only four innings and shattered Rockies reliever Franklin Morales for seven runs on six hits in only 2/3 of an inning.

"

Francis has had some games where he got rocked early and his inability to make pitches with two strikes hurt him. Franklin with two outs, six straight guys got on base," Hurdle said. "So we've got some things we can work on."

Boston snapped an 86-year title drought by winning the 2004 World Series and can claim a second crown in four seasons for their long-suffering fans.

Horror novelist Stephen King, a famed Red Sox fan, was reading a magazine in the stands at one stage, perhaps unwilling to watch the frightening display on the field as the Rockies set a new high in low.

The Red Sox, whose 143 million-dollar payroll is second-largest in baseball, matched a doubles mark and extra-base hits mark achieved by Pittsburgh in 1925 against Colorado, whose 54 million-dollar payroll ranks 25th of 30 clubs.

Beckett struck out the first four Colorado batters, the best start by any World Series pitcher in 44 years. The right-hander, who went 20-7 this season, improved to 4-0 in the playoffs but played down his feats.

"You just try to stay the same, go out and execute pitch by pitch and don't try to get ahead of yourself," Beckett said. "I had enough pitches to survive. I made pitches when I needed to execute them, held them off just long enough."

Francis, 17-9 this season and only the second Canadian to start a Series game, fell to 2-1 in the post-season.

Pedroia smacked a homer off the top of the "Green Monster" left-field wall to give Boston the lead for good. Ramirez and Jason Varitek added run-scoring singles for a 3-0 Boston lead after the first inning.

Troy Tulowitzki doubled in Colorado's only run in the second but Ortiz hit a run-scoring double in response and Varitek smacked a bases-loaded double for a 6-1 lead.

Boston then pounced upon Morales for seven runs on six hits in the fifth, aided by three consecutive bases-loaded walks by reliever Ryan Speier, tying an ignoble Series record.

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