ARLINGTON, Texas – Big Papi is back in the Boston lineup, and the Red Sox are back in first place.

David Ortiz had an RBI single on the first pitch he saw in 10 days and scored twice in his return as the Red Sox had another convincing victory over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, 13-2 on Wednesday night.

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Texas Rangers catcher Mike Napoli watches David Ortiz's run-scoring single in the first inning of Wednesday's game. AP

David Ortiz was a sure out, except for one thing: Rangers catcher Mike Napoli dropped the ball, allowing Ortiz to score on Carl Crawford’s double for Boston’s fourth run in the first inning. The Associated Press

“I felt normal. Everything was good,” Ortiz said. “Early in the season we didn’t do well against nobody. But we’ve got a good team that knows how to compete.”

Carl Crawford, Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez hit two-run homers in consecutive innings for Boston (79-50), which moved one game ahead of New York after the Yankees lost 6-4 in 10 innings to Oakland.

With 33 games left, the Red Sox aren’t yet too concerned with the standings.

“I think there’s more significance to what food’s being served in there tonight,” Manager Terry Francona said, motioning toward the clubhouse.

Just like they did in their 11-5 victory a night earlier, the Red Sox jumped to a quick 6-0 lead.

The first of Dustin Pedroia’s two RBI singles off Matt Harrison (10-9) put Boston ahead to stay in the first. Ortiz immediately followed with his run-scoring hit and then scored from first base on Crawford’s two-run double into the right-field corner, even though the relay throw beat him to the plate.

It appeared catcher Mike Napoli had the one-hop relay in his mitt, but the ball came out when he swiped to tag Ortiz and the Red Sox led 4-0.

Ortiz had missed nine games because of bursitis in his right heel. The injury certainly seemed to be healed the way he was moving around the bases.

After Ortiz had a leadoff double in the fifth, he moved to third on Jed Lowrie’s bunt and scored on Crawford’s sacrifice fly. Ortiz lumbered home and clipped the back of Napoli’s leg as he slid in just ahead of the throw.

“That was a good test,” said Francona, who had a big smile on his face when he greeted Ortiz on the top step of the dugout.

In his first game since Aug. 14, Ortiz extended his hitting streak to eight games and is hitting .484 (15 of 31) in that span. Crawford matched his career high with five runs batted in.

Josh Beckett (11-5) allowed one run and four hits over six innings and showed quick reflexes to make a defensive gem by catching a comeback liner.

Napoli homered and had an RBI single for the Rangers, who have lost 5 of 7.

Ellsbury played his second game since missing three straight after being hit in the back with a pitch.

As he did in his return Tuesday night when he led off the game with a single, stolen base and a run scored, Ellsbury got the Red Sox off to another strong start. He led off Wednesday’s game with an infield single, moved up on a one-out hit by Gonzalez and scored on Pedroia’s first single.

An inning later, Pedroia put the Red Sox up 5-0 when he again drove in Ellsbury, who was in scoring position after a single and a stolen base.

“He’s been doing that all year. That’s why he’s so important to what we do,” Francona said of Ellsbury. “We gave him a couple days, didn’t rush him back. He impacts the game all over the place.”

Marco Scutaro had an RBI double in the fourth. Ellsbury hit his 23rd homer in the sixth for a 9-1 lead before Crawford’s ninth homer in the seventh and Gonzalez’s 21st an inning later.

Beckett struck out four and walked two while throwing 110 pitches. He allowed 13 earned runs in 12 innings his previous two starts against Texas, both last season.

When Ian Kinsler hit a hard liner up the middle in the fifth, Beckett turned his head and put up his glove.

“That ball caught me, I didn’t catch it,” Beckett said.

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