Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox Match Player Stats On May 24, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 24, 2017

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox beat up on two Texas pitchers for seven runs in the seventh inning, backing Chris Sale's fourth straight win in Boston's 9-4 victory over the Rangers Wednesday night.

Sale (5-2, unbeaten since April 27) worked 7 1/3 innings before Joe Kelly finished up. Sale struck out six and failed to strike out at least 10 for the first time in his last nine starts, but he did become the fifth pitcher since 1900 with at least 100 strikeouts in his first 10 starts of the season.

He was trying to become the first pitcher in the modern era to strike out 10 or more in nine straight starts. He has fanned 10-plus in eight straight twice and Pedro Martinez did it once.

Rangers starter Martin Perez was sailing along on a four-hitter and got the first out in the seventh before the roof caved in. With runners at first and third and one out, Sam Dyson came on and faced seven batters, retiring none, a stretch that included two intentional walks.

Pinch hitters Mitch Moreland and Josh Rutledge both had RBI singles, Dyson (1-5, 11.93 ERA) wild pitched a run home, Dustin Pedroia singled home two runs, Chris Young drew a bases-loaded walk and Andrew Benintendi hit a sacrifice fly. The Benintendi at-bat was prolonged by Mike Napoli's second botched catch of a foul pop in the game, Texas' second error of the inning.

The run on the wild pitch was the third allowed by Texas in two games at Fenway, and the Rangers (24-23) have lost three of their last four after winning 10 straight.

Napoli homered off one of his former teams to help the Rangers to their lead.

The Texas lineup came in a collective 8-for-77 against Sale, who had a string of 19 straight scoreless innings against the Rangers dating back to 2014. He didn't give up a hit over the first four innings but a walk and passed ball led to an Elvis Andrus sacrifice fly that tied the game 1-1.

The win was the third straight for the Red Sox (24-21), who have scored 32 runs in the three games after losing three straight at Oakland.

Mookie Betts had a pair of RBI singles for Boston while Joey Gallo, 0-for-6 with six strikeouts against Sale coming in, singled home the third Texas run.

Rookie Sam Travis, making his major league debut for Boston, had singles his second and third times up, the second coming in the big inning.

The Red Sox took the lead in the third -- after Sale retired the first nine hitters -- on a two-out single by Deven Marrero (Boston's first hit), a wild pitch and Betts' RBI grounder just under the glove of Roughed Odor.

The Rangers tied it without a hit in the fourth with the help of a passed ball by Sandy Leon, and Napoli hit the 34th homer of his career at Fenway with one out in the fifth. A double by Ryan Rua and RBI single by Gallo added a run in the fifth.

NOTES: Red Sox manager John Farrell, appearing on the club's flagship station, WEEI, was asked about his job security and said, "There's been a lot more reports than just today or yesterday....That has never changed my approach." He was publicly backed by team president Dave Dombrowski Tuesday amid reports he was in trouble. ... Texas 3B Adrian Beltre, yet to play this season because of three separate calf injuries, will report to Arizona and play a minimum of three extended spring games. He could return, without a minor league rehab, as early as Monday. ... Two pitchers who have not beaten the other team meet in the series finale Thursday night -- RHP Nick Martinez, 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in three starts against Boston, facing LHP Drew Pomeranz, 0-2 with one save in eight appearances, two starts, against the Rangers. Pomeranz has lasted a total of just 11 innings over his last three starts. ... Red Sox LHP David Price (forearm) pitched 3 2/3 innings in his second rehab start at Pawtucket, yielding six runs and seven hits while throwing 89 pitches.