Doug Mirabelli and Tim Wakefield each had forgettable 2006 seasons.

Last night, in their respective Fenway Park debuts, the inseparable tag-team duo established early credentials that 2007 could be a different story.

Mirabelli's 2006 season essentially peaked before it began, with his cross-country flyover from San Diego and State Police-escorted mad dash from Logan Airport in time to play in his first game back with the Red Sox. That story topped Mirabelli's season performance at the plate, but his pair of RBI last night gave Wakefield some early breathing room before the Sox broke open the game in the eighth en route to a 10-1 romp over the Los Angeles Angels.

Wakefield (1-1), who outpitched Angels ace John Lackey (2-1), surrendered just the one run in his seven innings, holding Los Angeles to just five hits, while walking two and striking out three. Mirabelli's effort, as well as three RBI apiece from David Ortiz and Mike Lowell, helped put at least a temporary end to Wakefield's 2006 run of tough luck with seeing run support.

Coming in with a 4-1 lead, one out and two on in the eighth inning, Jonathan Papelbon was used for two quick but crucial outs. He struck out Vladimir Guerrero and got Garret Anderson to line out to left field. After the Red Sox put together a six-run rally in the home half of the eighth, Papelbon was replaced by Mike Timlin.

There was no question Wakefield was in full command right from the get-go. He did issue a walk in the first inning, but that is seldom a bad outcome when Guerrero is in the batter's box. After that two-out free pass, Wakefield retired seven in a row until he walked Orlando Cabrera to lead off the fourth inning.

On the next pitch, Cabrera stole second. Guerrero then singled in Cabrera before getting caught between first and second base when right fielder J.D. Drew's throw toward the plate was cut off. Guerrero's hit was Los Angeles' first. Wakefield retired eight of the next nine Angels.

The 1-0 Angels lead held until the fifth inning, when the Red Sox briefly figured out Lackey.

Mirabelli, who hit .193 last season, led off the fifth with a home run into the Red Sox bullpen. With the score tied at 1 and one out, Julio Lugo doubled to right field. After Kevin Youkilis fouled out, Ortiz laced a ball to right. Guerrero looked as if he could not quite decide if he could safely catch the ball, so he let it bounce, allowing the right fielder to get in position to make a throw home. As good as Guerrero's arm is, it was not good enough to catch the speedy Lugo before he crossed home plate to put the Red Sox on top, 2-1.

The following inning, the Red Sox and Mirabelli came through again. Drew led off with a walk, advanced to third base on back-to-back groundouts and scored on a Mirabelli single to make it a 3-1 game.

Wakefield pitched well in his first start of the season a week earlier in Arlington, Texas. He went six innings, allowing just one earned run in a game in which the Red Sox were shut out, 2-0, by the Texas Rangers. In Wakefield's 11 losses last season, the Red Sox were shut out five times and scored just one run on four occasions. The offense provided a total of six runs in Wakefield's losses.