As it turns out, start No. 240 in a Boston uniform was another historic day for Wakefield. It's just that it is the type of history he will try and erase from his memory bank as soon as possible.

There was, however, one very positive thing about his infamous day. He got the win.

This, despite being the first pitcher in the history of the Red Sox to give up six home runs in one game.

The Sox wound up having enough offense of their own to pull out an 11-9 victory over the Tigers.

As for Wakefield, he gutted through five innings and gave up eight hits and seven runs, somehow keeping his sanity and his presence even as he gave up five home runs in the first three innings.

Was it a nightmare to watch all those hitters trotting around the bases?

"Thankfully, we scored more runs than they did, so quit bringing it up," said Wakefield, who then flashed a smile, making it clear how fortunate he felt to come out on the winning end on a day his knuckleball clearly didn't knuckle.

The six homers surrendered by Wakefield also tied a modern Major League record set by five other pitchers. It was the first time a pitcher has allowed six homers in a game since George Caster of the Philadelphia Athletics on Sept. 24, 1940.

Amazingly, Wakefield became the third out of those six to win the game. The last pitcher before Wakefield to win despite giving up six homers was Sloppy Thurston of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who beat the New York Giants, 18-9, on Aug. 13, 1932.

"I just battled as long as I could. I was very lucky, very lucky," said Wakefield.

And, at least while the game was going on, unlucky.

The only Sox pitcher besides Wakefield to give up as many as five homers in a start was Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, who did so on July 21, 1979, at Yankee Stadium.

"I felt for him. He really didn't have anything going, his knuckleball was real straight," said Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon. "That happens. He's a competitor. He wanted to go back out there in the fourth inning when they were ready to pull him, but it seems like he found it a little bit, so that was good."

All in all, it wasn't a completely bad day for Wakefield, the ultimate professional who concerns himself mainly with team victories.

"It's just one of those days you're thankful that we won, but it was one of those days you'd like to forget," Wakefield said. "Coming off this long road trip with a huge win today and carry some momentum back home, we're going to be home for a long time. This was a tough road trip we had and I'm sure everyone in here is glad to get on a plane and go home."

Nobody more than Wakefield, who was happy to put his latest bit of history in the rearview mirror.