RED SOX RECAP;YOUNG AT HEART;Kid-filled lineup sparks Sox win against Rays

A three-game series at home against the Tampa Bay Rays in early September was supposed to carry significant playoff implications for the Red Sox. It didn't work out that way. But in the series opener last night, the Red Sox served notice that they won't merely recede quietly either. Backed football jersey
by three homers, including another grand slam by rookie center fielder Ryan Kalish, and 10 strikeouts by starter Jon Lester, the Red Sox thumped the Rays, 12-5, at Fenway Park.
The dozen runs marked the Sox' highest offensive output since a 14-run barrage July 9 in Toronto and only the second time since the All-Star break that they've reached double digits. And they did it all with a lineup that included four rookies - Kalish, left fielder Daniel Nava, shortstop Yamaico Navarro and first baseman Lars Anderson (0-for-4 in his major league debut). ''We're a little younger than we probably anticipated going into this series, for a lot of reasons,'' manager Terry Francona said. Among those reasons is the 6 1/2-game deficit to the Rays that the Red Sox still face in the wild card race even after the victory. But as long as they have Victor Martinez, David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre in the middle of the lineup and pitchers like Lester on the mound, they won't be a pushover. Led by back-to-back homers by Ortiz and Beltre, the Red Sox scored six runs in the first two innings. Lester, meanwhile, retired the final 10 batters in his third consecutive 10-strikeout start.
STAR OF THE GAME
Talk about setting a tone. The rest of the Red Sox lineup followed the lead of David Ortiz, who drove in three runs during the opening two innings. In the first, he made Rays starter Jeff Niemann pay for issuing a two-out walk to Victor Martinez by running the count full and turning on a 94 mph fastball for a two-run homer inside Pesky's Pole. 49ers jersey
Then, in the second inning, Ortiz lined a two-out RBI double off The Wall to give the Red Sox a 6-1 lead.
UNSUNG HEROES
When the summer began, outfielders Daniel Nava and Ryan Kalish shared an apartment near McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I. These days, the place is empty, and neither Nava nor Kalish hope to return next season to the Triple A locale. They're getting an opportunity to leave a lasting impression on manager Terry Francona, and games like last night don't hurt. Nava, batting leadoff for the second time, reached base in three of his five plate appearances (1-for-3, two walks) and scored two runs. Kalish (2-for-3, walk, two stolen bases) swatted his second career grand slam in the fourth inning to give the Red Sox an 11-2 lead and prompt Rays manager Joe Maddon to begin emptying his bench.
STREAKING
All it took was a solo homer over The Wall in the first inning for the Rays to get smart about how to deal with Adrian Beltre. In his next two at-bats, he drew intentional walks, which lately has been the only way to avoid having the third baseman do serious damage. Beltre, the Red Sox MVP this season, has a 10-game hitting streak during which he's 12-for-39 with two doubles, three homers and six RBI.
THEY SAID IT
''We've seen him be far more aggressive in attacking the baseball on the offensive and defensive sides of Saints jersey
the game. That's seemed to work very well for him throughout the entire season.''
Red Sox farm director Mike Hazen on first base prospect Lars Anderson, who made his major league debut last night.