Mueller’s Night Is Just Two Grand

Boston’s Bill Mueller became the first player in major league history to hit grand slams from both sides of the plate in a game, connecting for three homers to lead the Red Sox over the Texas Rangers, 14-7, Tuesday night.

Mueller, batting left-handed, hit a solo homer in the third inning against R.A. Dickey.

Batting right-handed, he hit his first slam off Aaron Fultz in the seventh for a 9-4 lead. One inning later, he connected from the left side against Jay Powell for a 14-4 advantage.

“You never come to the ballpark thinking you’re going to do anything like this,” Mueller said. “I’m just trying to have some good at-bats, and I guess some of my good at-bats went over the wall tonight.”

Mueller had a career-high nine runs batted in with the first three-homer game of his career. He has 13 homers this season, also a career best, and four grand slams in his career.

It was the 12th time a player hit two grand slams in a game, the first since Boston’s Nomar Garciaparra against Seattle on May 10, 1999.

“I’m very humbled by it,” Mueller said. “It was just one of those nights that went in my favor and kept going. Maybe someday I’ll really appreciate it.”

Mueller had his second multihomer game of the season, the third of his career. He hit two homers against the New York Yankees on July 4, connecting from each side of the plate.

Boston won for the eighth time in 10 games.

Garciaparra and Trot Nixon also homered for the Red Sox.

Boston starter Tim Wakefield (8-5) had trouble locating his knuckleball, and Doug Mirabelli had four passed balls, two short of the AL record set by the Rangers’ Geno Petralli in 1987.

Wakefield gave up four runs and six hits in six innings.