CHICAGO – Kevin Youkilis hit a grand slam, Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered twice, and the Boston Red Sox roughed up Philip Humber in a 10-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Youkilis, mired in an early-season slump, hit his second career slam into the right-field bullpen during a five-run third inning against Humber, who was making his first start since pitching a perfect game in a 4-0 victory at Seattle on Saturday.

There was no such suspense Thursday. Humber walked leadoff batter Mike Aviles in the first, snapping his streak of 29 straight batters retired.

One out later, the right-hander allowed a single to Dustin Pedroia, a dribbler up the third-base line that was the first hit off Humber since Nick Markakis’ one-out double for Baltimore in the fifth inning of the Orioles’ 10-4 victory at Chicago on April 16.

Humber was tagged for a career-high nine runs and eight hits in five innings. The nine earned runs he allowed after his perfect game were a record, topping the eight given up by Jim “Catfish” Hunter after his perfecto for Oakland in 1968.

The resurgent Red Sox have scored 34 runs in winning their last four games, a streak coming on the heels of a five-game skid.

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Adrian Gonzalez followed Pedroia with an RBI double, and David Ortiz added a run-scoring single to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.

After throwing just 96 pitches to complete his masterpiece, Humber twice needed more than 30 pitches to get through an inning. He threw 92 pitches over the first four innings.

Saltalamacchia followed Youkilis’ slam with a home run just inside the right-field foul pole. He added a two-run shot in the fifth off Humber, his fourth homer of the season.

Humber followed up his best game with perhaps his worst, allowing three walks and three homers. His ERA rose from 0.63 to 4.66.

Youkilis singled and scored in the fifth and added an infield single in the eighth. His three hits, two runs and four RBI were an encouraging sign for a hitter that entered the game batting just .204. Boston starter Felix Doubront (1-0) wasn’t sharp but picked up his first big league win since Aug. 10, 2010. He allowed five hits and three walks, threw a wild pitch and hit a batter with a pitch, but limited the White Sox to three runs in six innings.

CARL CRAWFORD has a sprained ligament in his throwing elbow and the Boston Red Sox left fielder will remain sidelined for a while.

The team released a statement Thursday night saying Crawford’s diagnosis was made by the Red Sox medical staff and confirmed by Dr. James Andrews. Crawford received a Platelet Rich Plasma injection and will be shut down from baseball activity “during the initial phase of his treatment.”

The club did not announce a timetable for Crawford’s return, but he is expected to miss at least a few months.

 


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