What a disaster indeed

BALTIMORE - The first clue that things were about to go horribly wrong for the Red Sox last night came at the end of the sixth inning, as the entire infield trotted back to the third-base dugout after Felix Pie grounded out. Small problem: There were only two out. But second baseman Dustin Pedroia led the charge to the dugout, and everyone else followed, and an instant YouTube classic was born. It was one of those plays that, on another night, in a different situation, might have made for wonderful postgame banter. But in dropping an 11-10 decision to the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, the Red Sox suffered what may well be the worst loss of the Terry Francona era. There they were, leading 10-1, the game so out of hand that Francona pulled catcher Jason Varitek from the game, giving some playing time to rookie George Kottaras. By the time it was over, a parade of Red Sox relievers had been bombarded by the feisty young Orioles, finally pulling ahead in the bottom of the eighth when Nick Markakis lined a two-run double to left-center off closer Jonathan Papelbon. It ended with Jason Bay striking out, and for the first time since 1989 the Red Sox had blown a nine-run lead. ``We pretty much imploded,'' Papelbon said. ``I can't think of any better word to use.'' You'd have to be wearing a Big Papi shirt and a Curt Schilling bloody sock, and waving officially licensed Red Sox pompoms to give the Bostons any love after this game. True, it had fluke written all over it. Sox starter John Smoltz was cruising along, having thrown just 51 pitches through four innings, and the Sox led 9-1 as the O's came to bat in the bottom of the fifth. But then came a rain delay of one hour and 11 minutes, and there was no way Smoltz could return. So stop right here. Take away the rain, and Smoltz cruises along for seven innings, and the Red Sox win handily. Hoo-ray for Red Sox Nation. But it DID rain. And lest we forget, the Red Sox have that wonderful bullpen. But while Justin Masterson dazzled the Orioles for two innings in relief of Smoltz, he was bombarded in the seventh. As was Hideki Okajima, charged with four runs in one-third of the eighth inning. ``We went through a period where we gave up 13 hits in two innings,'' said Francona. ``We just had no answers. We went through just about everybody. There were balls everywhere.'' And it's hard not to attach some significance to that play in the bottom of the sixth, when the Red Sox infield trotted to the dugout with two out. ``I looked up and I saw Tek standing there all by himself,'' said Francona. ``The first thing I think is that I must be nuts. I've never seen that. Pedie came in and said, `I led the charge. I (screwed) up.' '' Said Pedroia: ``I think it was my fault. I got ahead of myself and everyone followed me.'' It's not like everything fell apart then and there. Heck, Jeff Bailey, newly recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, hit a home run in the top of the seventh to give the Sox a 10-1 lead. And THEN everything fell apart. Again, let's not candy-coat this: It was the mother of all bow-wows for the Sox , a game so bad that when Francona was asked if he'd like to forget this one as quickly as possible, replied, ``I don't necessarily want to forget about it this moment, but playing with some energy (today) will be very important.'' The Red Sox close out this nine-game road trip today with a 1:35 p.m. matinee. Rarely have they been faced with gut-check game this early in the season, but surely this is one such occasion. Francona agreed. ``It'll be important to bounce back,'' he said. - sbuckley@bostonherald.com