Red Sox
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Wilyer Abreu gave Boston the lead with an RBI single following his earlier two-run home run, Nick Sogard hit his first big league hit with a two-run single and the Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 11-6 on Friday night.
Ceddanne Rafaela and Rafael Devers also homered for the Red Sox, who won two games in a row for the primary time because the All-Star break. They are 5-8 during that stretch and remain two games behind Minnesota, which earned the AL's third wild card.
“We were very aggressive at the beginning, but we didn't try to do too much,” said the Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We had some good at-bats, we ran the bases well and then of course we hit the ball out of the stadium.”
Corey Seager hit two solo home runs, added a sacrifice fly and scored three of the runs for Texas. Marcus Semien and Leody Taveras also had long balls.
All 4 of Texas' home runs were by starter Kutter Crawford (7-8), who allowed five strikeouts and one walk in 5 1/3 innings.
“My execution has to be better. … I allowed some damage and all of those throws were pretty much over the middle of the plate,” Crawford said. “It feels good when your offense can score seven, eight, nine runs. We can compete with the best, we've seen it all this year. Luckily for me, they had my back tonight.”
Rangers right-hander José Ureña (3-6) allowed seven runs and eight hits through the fifth inning.
The defending World Series champion Rangers have lost three straight games, six of seven, since a five-game winning streak that brought them inside one game of their .500 record. They haven't won since a 24-23 loss on May 18 and have been in third place within the AL West since June 20.
“You just have to play better,” Seager said. “There's always pressure. You have to. I've talked about it all year, it's about winning series, that's what we've tried to do all year. We haven't been doing that so well lately.”
Seager gave Texas a 1-0 lead in the primary inning before Abreu hit a two-run shot within the second. After Taveras and Seager hit home runs within the third inning for a 3-2 lead, the Red Sox responded with a four-run fourth.
Boston's big inning began with 4 consecutive hits. Connor Wong's RBI single tied the sport before Abreu followed together with his own. Both scored on a pointy liner to right by Sogard, the 26-year-old second baseman who made his MLB debut after being called up from Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.
Rafaela hit a house run within the sixth inning and Devers hit his twenty fifth within the ninth inning against Andrew Chafin, who made his first appearance for the Rangers since being traded from Detroit on Tuesday.
Luis García, in his first game against the Red Sox since they acquired him in a last-minute deal from the Los Angeles Angels, retired all three batters he faced within the ninth inning.
DOUBLE
The Rangers managed double plays in three consecutive innings, including Ezequiel Durán fielding a ball in right field after which throwing out Tyler O'Neill attempting to advance to 3rd base to finish the fifth inning. It was Durán's first profession start in right field.
TRAINING ROOM
Red Sox: RHP Chris Martin (right elbow inflammation) is anticipated to throw a bullpen session Saturday and will then go to a minor league rehab task. He last pitched on July 3. … RHP Kenley Jansen strained his back in his last appearance Wednesday, but manager Alex Cora said before the sport that the closer “is fine and ready.” Jansen warmed up before Boston scored two runs within the ninth inning.
Rangers: Three-time Cy Young Award winner and lively strikeout leader Max Scherzer was placed on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder fatigue. … Two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom will face a bullpen again on Saturday. If all goes well, he could face hitters for the primary time since undergoing elbow surgery last June.
NEXT
All-Star right-hander Tanner Houck (8-7, 2.79 ERA) will pitch for Boston on Saturday night. The Rangers haven’t yet announced their starter.
image credit : www.boston.com