01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, April 4, 2006

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Phil Nevin had a three-run homer in the first inning and later chased struggling Tim Wakefield with a two-run single, leading the Texas Rangers over the Boston Red Sox 10-4 this evening.

Winner Vicente Padilla allowed only one run and four hits over six innings in his AL debut. Acquired from Philadelphia in an offseason trade, he struck out five and walked two.

Nevin was frustrated after being traded to the Rangers from San Diego last July for Chan Ho Park, and hit .182 with only eight RBIs in 29 games for Texas. He said all spring training he had a different feeling, and in the second game of the season he had five RBIs in a game for the first time since August 2004.

Nevin's homer put the Rangers ahead 4-0 in the first, when the first four batters reached base. Mark Teixeira had an RBI single, and Nevin followed with a drive to left field.

His two-run single with two outs in the fourth made it 6-0 and finished off Wakefield, who took the loss. Hank Blalock greeted Lenny DiNardo with an RBI single.

Brad Wilkerson, the Rangers' new leadoff hitter, was 3-for-5, scored three runs and homered leading off the sixth against DiNardo. Rod Barajas added a two-run homer in the seventh against David Riske.

Wakefield allowed seven runs and seven hits with three strikeouts and three walks. After going 16-12 last season when he pitched exclusively as a starter for the first time since 1996, the knuckleballer became only the third Red Sox to pitch in parts of 12 seasons. The others are Roger Clemens and Bob Stanley, who each pitched 13 seasons in Boston.

Josh Bard had a tough first start for Boston -- three passed balls in the 4 2-3 innings catching Wakefield. That matched the number of passed balls he had in 220 innings as Cleveland's backup last season.

Padilla moved up a day into the No. 2 spot to replace Adam Eaton, out up to three months because of a sprained tendon in the middle finger of his pitching hand.

Manny Ramirez struck out twice against Padilla. The second was on a 94-mph fastball in the sixth inning, and Padilla threw to only one more batter after that.

New Boston leadoff hitter Coco Crisp had three hits and a stolen base. After his leadoff single in the sixth, he scored on a double by David Ortiz. Those hits sandwiched a spectacular defensive play by All-Star shortstop Michael Young.

Young went deep in the hole toward the third-base line to backhand Mark Loretta's grounder, then threw him out at first on a close play. Boston manager Terry Francona was on the steps of the dugout and looked as if he was going to come out to argue the call, but didn't after seeing the replay on the big screen.

Notes: Young, the reigning AL batting champ, was 0-for-6 this season before a double in the sixth. He was 1-for-13 to end last season, when he hit .331.