Arlington, TX -- (Sports Network) - Nelson Cruz homered twice and tied a career- high by knocking in five runs, and the Rangers finally beat Boston, 15-8, preventing the Red Sox from gaining ground in the AL East.

Josh Hamilton continued his incredible season by driving in three runs for the Rangers, who had lost all eight previous meetings with the Red Sox in 2008. Hamilton's two-run single keyed a seven-run second inning.

Texas scored a total of two runs in its previous two games, but the Rangers had 16 hits on Saturday in the second installment of the three-game series.

Gerald Laird had three hits, an RBI and scored twice, while Chris Davis added a pair of hits, an RBI and also scored three times.

The Rangers surged offensively despite missing designated hitter Milton Bradley from the lineup. Bradley, who is second in the American League with a .327 average, sat out due to a sore left wrist.

Matt Harrison (7-3) scattered seven hits and gave up four runs over six innings to win for the fifth time in six decisions.

Boston had a four-game winning streak broken but remained 2 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East. The Rays lost, 7-4 in 13 innings, earlier Saturday at Toronto thanks to Gregg Zaun's two-out, grand slam off Troy Percival.

Tim Wakefield (8-10) suffered the loss on a milestone night for the knuckleballer. Saturday marked his 500th appearance as a Red Sox, joining Bob Stanley (637) as the only pitchers to reach that mark in a Boston uniform. Wakefield was lifted after allowing seven runs on four hits and four walks, lasting just 1 2/3 innings -- his shortest outing of the year.

Kevin Youkilis blasted a three-run homer in his return to the Boston lineup. He was sidelined for the series opener due to a family matter.

Jed Lowrie singled in Jason Bay in the top of the second inning, but the Rangers exploded in the bottom half, taking advantage of a wild Wakefield when he walked four batters. He retired the first two hitters of the frame, but Laird doubled and went to third on a wild pitch.

Davis then walked, but Laird came home on Kevin Cash's passed ball. Davis stole second and Cruz walked. German Duran followed with an RBI singled up the middle and Frank Catalanotto was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wakefield then walked Brandon Boggs and Michael Young, and Hamilton stroked a two-run hit to right field. Hank Blalock capped the rally with an RBI single to center, ending Wakefield's night, as he was replaced by Chris Smith.

Youkilis homered to right-center in the third, but Cruz got two back in the bottom half with a blast over the wall in center. Cruz then homered to left off Mike Timlin with two outs in the fifth for a 10-4 difference.

The Rangers continued to pound the ball in the sixth. Boggs tripled and Young followed with an RBI hit with one out. Hamilton then tripled off the wall in center, and, with two down, Laird doubled to left field.

Cruz, the 2008 Pacific Coast League MVP, added a two-run double in the eighth for a 15-4 advantage.

Boston added four runs in the ninth as Mark Kotsay had a two-run single, while Sean Casey and Jeff Bailey each had run-scoring base hits.

Game Notes:

The Red Sox maintained a 5 1/2 game lead on Minnesota for the wild card spot as the Twins lost at home to Detroit, 6-4, on Saturday...Wakefield is the 23rd pitcher in major league history to make 500 appearances and 350 starts with the same team...Despite the loss, Boston has won 14 of the last 17 meetings. Before Saturday, Boston had nine straight victories in the series since a defeat on July 1, 2006, the team's longest versus the Rangers since the franchise moved to Texas for the 1972 season...Wakefield is 10-15 lifetime against Texas...Hamilton leads the majors with 124 RBI...Boston went 8-for-12 with runners in scoring position.