Red Sox
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jonah Heim and Leody Taveras hit back-to-back home runs from the underside of the batting order to beat a three-run deficit within the fourth inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 7-4 on Saturday night.
Rob Refsnyder, who tied a profession high with 4 hits and three RBIs, hit solo home runs in his first two appearances – his sixth and seventh of the season – to assist the Red Sox take a 3-0 lead before Heim tied the sport with a three-run shot.
Two pitches after Heim's tenth home run with a high hit down the right-field line, Taveras hit a liner into the primary row in right for his ninth, the second win within the last eight games for the defending World Series champions.
Texas reliever José Leclerc (5-4) struck out Ceddanne Rafaela with a controlled full-pitch swing within the dirt when the Rangers were down 3-0 within the fourth inning with all of the bases loaded.
Kirby Yates, the sixth Texas pitcher and the one reliever in the key leagues and not using a blown save in at the least eight opportunities, got the ultimate 4 outs for his twentieth save.
Yates ended the eighth inning with a bases-loaded strikeout of Jarren Duran, who was the All-Star Game MVP after hitting the game-winning two-run home run within the AL's 5-3 victory on the Rangers' home stadium last month.
“Really hard-fought game. Bullpen. Gutsy effort by everyone,” said Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. “Everyone did something to cheer each other up. It was really a well-played game for us.”
Texas' fourth set of consecutive home runs of the season got here after Tanner Houck threw seven strikeouts in the primary three innings, including six consecutive outs by strikes, capped by a 13-pitch at-bat against Marcus Semien to bottom the third inning.
“Two pitches, right? And it went pretty quickly against the bottom of the batting order,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “I think he threw well.”
Houck (8-8) was replaced after allowing three straight hits to begin the sixth, and the Rangers scored three more in a row in a three-run inning against Brennan Bernardino. Ezequiel Duran, Taveras and Josh Smith, who had three hits, each scored a run with a single.
The first multi-home run game of Refsnyder's nine-year profession was followed by Connor Wong's RBI single within the fourth inning against Cody Bradford. The left-hander, who opened the season with wins in his first three starts, was making his second appearance and first start after missing 3 1/2 months with a back injury.
Refsnyder also reached base five times for the primary time in his profession by walking.
TRAINING ROOM
Red Sox: Duran needed to be examined by the training staff during an at-bat but remained in the sport. Cora said Duran felt something in his side during a swing, however the manager didn’t expect the All-Star to be out. … OF Tyler O'Neill was unavailable due to an illness. He remained on the team hotel, and Cora said it could likely be Monday before O'Neill would play again. … RHP Chris Martin, out for a month due to elbow inflammation, threw a 35-pitch bullpen session and will begin a rehab effort Wednesday.
Rangers: RHP Jacob deGrom threw a 45-pitch bullpen session with no apparent problems and is predicted to face hitters for the primary time since undergoing right elbow surgery in June 2023.
NEXT
Red Sox RHP Nick Pivetta (5-7, 4.47 ERA) faces Texas RHP Nathan Eovaldi (8-4, 3.38) within the series finale. Eovaldi, who spent greater than 4 seasons in Boston before joining the Rangers last 12 months, has gone 43 innings and 166 batters and not using a walk in six consecutive starts, the longest such streak in franchise history.
image credit : www.boston.com