To say Tim Wakefield has received little in terms of run support this season is a bit like noting Storrow Drive gets clogged at rush hour.

Duh, it happens all the time, but last night Wakefield breezed along, not only pitching well but also getting a boost from eight early runs.

By game's end, the Red Sox had turned in an offensive showcase against the Washington Nationals, compiling a season-high 17 hits in an 11-3 Fenway Park laugher. The victory was the fifth in a row for the Red Sox, who are now 7-1 against interleague opponents this season.

While Wakefield (5-8) cruised right along, Nationals starter Livan Hernandez (5-8) managed no more than five outs before being sent to the showers by Nationals manager Frank Robinson.

The Red Sox scored six times in the second inning, then added a run apiece in the next two innings, helping Wakefield coast to the early 8-0 lead. Wakefield hit a rough patch in the sixth when he walked in a run with the bases loaded and no outs, but he recovered with strikeouts and a flyout before leaving to a generous and heartfelt ovation.

For a pitcher with a 3.82 ERA and an average of 3.10 runs scored per start coming in, seeing the yellow numbers on the left field scoreboard keep changing was a welcome sight.

"It was unbelievable," Wakefield said. "I have always said this, that it makes our jobs as starting pitchers a lot easier when we get some runs on the board early."

Wakefield retired the first eight Nationals before allowing a single to Brian Schneider with one out in the third inning. He left the game after six innings, having allowed four hits, the one run and one walk, and with four strikeouts.

"It was great - well-deserved," Francona said of Wakefield's win. "Really, the only spot of trouble he had was in the sixth and he pitched his way out of it."

The Red Sox were sad to see Hernandez go. They managed two singles off the right-hander in the first inning, only to see a double-play ball end the threat. The second inning was a different story. The Sox sent 12 batters to the plate and scored six runs.

Doug Mirabelli scorched a one-out double off The Wall to drive home the first run. Alex Cora, starting again at shortstop, then singled another run. After Kevin Youkilis walked, Mark Loretta singled in two runs for a 4-0 lead.

Hernandez had one more out left in him, a popout by David Ortiz, before Manny Ramirez singled in run No. 5 and Trot Nixon, who led off the inning with a single and scored the first run, doubled in the last run.

"It doesn't wear on us, we've just faced a few guys who have been at the top of their game (in other Wakefield starts)," Cora said. "It's not like we're just trying to score runs for him. We're trying to win games."

Julian Tavarez came on for Wakefield in the seventh and pitched one inning, then was followed by Craig Hansen for the final two frames. Hansen had a 1-2-3 eighth inning before running into a problem in the ninth, when he gave up two runs on three hits.

By that time, the Red Sox were substituting like it was spring training in Fort Myers.