Opponents last night, they were Marlins teammates on June 27, 2003, when the Red Sox led off with one of the biggest offensive outbursts ever.

Pavano failed to record an out. So did reliever Michael Tejera. When the carnage ended, the Red Sox had scored 10 runs. They led 14-0 after one en route to a 25-8 drubbing.

``I remember telling Trot (Nixon) when he got to third that if Johnny Damon got his third hit of the first inning I was going to walk off the field,'' Lowell said. ``So after he got his hit and Trot scored, he looked back at me and I kind of had to swallow my pride.''

All Lowell had to swallow last night was his glee. Karma paid him a visit, and it was pleasant.

The Indians actually led 2-1 when the Red Sox came to bat in the sixth. But 12 batters and 12 runs later, the Tribe trailed, 13-2. The lights under the ``OUT'' sign on the Fenway scoreboard remained dark until Lowell mercifully grounded out.

The Sox then cruised to a 13-3 victory.

``It's a lot better being on this side of it,'' Lowell said.

A day that started with the Manny Ramirez Circus blowing into town for a limited one-day engagement ended with the Red Sox tying a 56-year-old modern record for runs scored without an out.

They tied the Brooklyn Dodgers, who scored 12 in the eighth against the Phillies in a 16-2 victory on May 24, 1953.

``It gets kind of crowded at the helmet rack, I know that,'' said first baseman Jeff Bailey. ``Everyone wants to get up there.''

Six managed to bat twice. The blitz began with a Julio Lugo single (part of a three-hit night) and ended with Jason Bay's mammoth three-run homer to right.

In between, the Sox laced five singles and two doubles while walking three times. Bay, Rocco Baldelli, Bailey, George Kottaras and Dustin Pedroia each recorded multiple RBI. Shortstop Nick Green and Lugo each beat out infield hits, the former in a rare footrace with second baseman Luis Valbuena on a grounder to the right side when pitcher Masahide Kobayashi forgot to cover first.

All of those runs turned a pitchers' duel between Tim Wakefield and Jeremy Sowers into a laugher. Wakefield picked up a well-earned win - his fourth straight - after allowing four hits and two runs in six innings.

``I've been getting deep in games,'' Wakefield said. ``That's my job.''

Over in the visiting dugout, Pavano couldn't help but feel deja vu. He has answered questions about the 25-8 game on virtually every visit to Fenway since, and last night was obviously no exception.

``It happened quick, man,'' Pavano said. ``We actually put up 14 in New York (recently). We set the record in the new Yankee Stadium. It was ridiculous, it was weird. It's (lousy) being on the other end of it, too.''

The Red Sox shouldn't get too comfortable. Both Lowell and Pavano - as well as former Marlins Josh Beckett and Brad Penny - remember what happened the next night six years ago.

Lowell's three-run homer in the ninth lifted the Marlins to a 9-8 victory that kick-started their run to the World Series.

``We got our revenge the next day,'' Lowell said. ``I remember that one loud and clear.''

- jtomase@bostonherald.com