Baseball: Happy return to Boston for Francona as Indians pummel Red Sox 12-3

May 23 (Reuters) - Former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona enjoyed his return to Fenway Park on Thursday as his new team, the Cleveland Indians, hammered Boston 12-3 in Major League Baseball action.

Francona won two World Series in eight years with the Red Sox, before leaving in 2011.

Mark Reynolds and Drew Stubbs led the way with three RBIs each as Cleveland clubbed 16 hits and improved to 27-19 on the year, cementing top spot in the American League Central.

The Red Sox (28-20) remain behind the New York Yankees in the East.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers (26-19) kept the heat on the Indians in the Central with a 7-6 win over the Minnesota Twins, with Prince Fielder coming up with the go-ahead single in the eighth.

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