| Scoreboard | ||||||||||||
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Texas (10-2) « | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 1 |
| Boston (4-8) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
BOSTON -- They bash, they pitch and they keep winning.
So much for any hangover affect from losing last year's World Series for the Texas Rangers.
Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs, Derek Holland pitched seven solid innings and the red-hot Rangers completed a two-game sweep with a 6-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.
Unlike Tuesday when the Rangers pounded Boston's pitching en route to a lopsided win, they relied on the formula that's helped them to the AL's best record.
"They've been outstanding," Rangers manager Ron Washington said of his starters, who improved to 8-0 for the first time in club history. "They worked hard in spring training to do what they're doing. We're playing good baseball and we're doing it in different ways."
| More on Rangers-Red Sox |
| Analysis |
![]() |
| Related links |
| More MLB Coverage |
|
Texas, which improved to 10-2, once again got strong starting pitching. The Rangers' starters have posted a 1.84 ERA in their last eight games, allowing three runs or fewer in the previous six.
Josh Hamilton had three singles and drove in a run for the Rangers, who won their sixth straight.
It was Napoli's fourth home run in three games to go along with a two-run double. He hit a pair of homers in the Rangers' lopsided win Tuesday.
He's hit 10 homers and driven in 24 runs in 20 games against the Red Sox since the start of 2010.
"We know we've got a team," Napoli said. "We've got some good starters that can throw strikes and keep us in games."
Holland just feels like they're concentrating on each start, not what's been happening at the start of the season.
"We don't think like that," he said. "If you screw up, you're not going to be out of the rotation."
Kevin Youkilis had a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who dropped their third consecutive game, and Josh Beckett (1-2) took the loss despite holding the Rangers down one night after they hit six homers in an 18-3 win.
Holland (2-0) held Boston to two runs on four hits, walking three and fanning seven.
Boston has lost eight of its last 10 games at Fenway Park against the Rangers.
Napoli has gone 7 for 13 with nine RBI in his last three games.
"The guy seems like he hits .700 against us lifetime," Youkilis said.
The Red Sox have lost eight of their first 12 games this season heading into their first matchup against the rival Yankees, who come to town Friday for Fenway's 100th anniversary celebration.
Beckett allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out seven and walking one. It was his second straight strong start, coming off an eight-inning, one-run outing when he got the victory over Tampa Bay in Boston's home opener last Friday.
"I made one big mistake with the pitch to Napoli and ultimately it was bad for me and bad for the team. It kind of put us in a little bit of a hole."
Pinch hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia lined into a game-ending double play against Joe Nathan with runners on first and third. Ryan Sweeney, running on the pitch from first, was doubled up by first baseman Brandon Snyder.
"The first pitch to Saltamacchia we were holding him on and decided to take him off [the bag]," Washington said. "It was the right move."
Trailing 2-0 in the third, the Rangers cut the deficit in half on Hamilton's RBI single. Ian Kinsler walked with one out and advanced to third on Elvis Andrus' single, but Andrus was cut down at second by left fielder Darnell McDonald. Hamilton then bounced one up the middle that second baseman Dustin Pedroia made a diving play on, but was unable to get a strong throw to first.
Texas jumped ahead 3-2 in the fourth when Napoli homered into the Green Monster seats after David Murphy singled. Napoli later doubled off the left-field wall, making it 6-2 in the eighth.
Boston had taken a 2-0 lead in the second when Youkilis homered off the base of a light tower above the Monster.
Youkilis struck out in each of his four at-bats Tuesday, two days after manager Bobby Valentine questioned his commitment to the game in a taped TV appearance, then apologized the following morning.
Hamilton is 11 for 18 with nine RBI in his last four games.
Notes
|
| Mike Napoli continues to pound the Red Sox with a two-run homer and four RBI in the Rangers' sixth straight win. (Getty Images) |
| Players of the Game |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Era Boston Red Sox Fitted Hat
$34.95 Shop Now!
| Texas Rangers | ||||||||
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Ian Kinsler, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .292 |
| Elvis Andrus, SS | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .222 |
| Josh Hamilton, CF-LF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .440 |
| Adrian Beltre, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .292 |
| Nelson Cruz, RF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .234 |
| David Murphy, LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .313 |
| a- Craig Gentry, PH-CF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
| Mike Napoli, C | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .273 |
| Mitch Moreland, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .130 |
| Brandon Snyder, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .375 |
| Totals | 34 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 8 | ||
| a-hit by pitch for Murphy in the 8th | ||||||||
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B - Mike Napoli (1, Morales) | ||||||||
| HR - Mike Napoli (4, Beckett) | ||||||||
| RBI - Josh Hamilton (12), Craig Gentry (2), Mike Napoli 4 (11) | ||||||||
| 2-OUT RBI - Josh Hamilton (3) | ||||||||
| PK - Ian Kinsler (1, Albers) | ||||||||
| Team LOB - 7 | ||||||||
| Fielding | ||||||||
| DP - Snyder | ||||||||
| E - Adrian Beltre (1, Throwing) | ||||||||
| Texas Rangers | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Derek Holland (W,2-0) | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3.10 |
| Alexi Ogando | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.23 |
| Joe Nathan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.14 |
| Pitches-Strikes - Derek Holland 102-64, Alexi Ogando 10-8, Joe Nathan 23-13 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Derek Holland 3-10, Alexi Ogando 2-1, Joe Nathan 1-1 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - Derek Holland 27, Alexi Ogando 3, Joe Nathan 5 | ||||||||
| Boston Red Sox | ||||||||
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Mike Aviles, SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .268 |
| Dustin Pedroia, 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .271 |
| Adrian Gonzalez, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .292 |
| Cody Ross, RF-CF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .250 |
| David Ortiz, DH | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .383 |
| Kevin Youkilis, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .184 |
| Kelly Shoppach, C | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .375 |
| a- Ryan Sweeney, PH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .424 |
| Darnell McDonald, LF-RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .083 |
| b- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .080 |
| Jason Repko, CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .111 |
| c- Nick Punto, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .308 |
| Nate Spears, LF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 31 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| a-singled for Shoppach in the 9th | ||||||||
| b-lined out for McDonald in the 9th | ||||||||
| c-struck out for Repko in the 7th | ||||||||
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B - David Ortiz (7, Holland), Kelly Shoppach (4, Holland) | ||||||||
| HR - Kevin Youkilis (1, Holland) | ||||||||
| RBI - Kevin Youkilis 2 (5), Ryan Sweeney (5) | ||||||||
| SB - Mike Aviles (1, 2nd base off Holland/Napoli) | ||||||||
| CS - Mike Aviles (1, 2nd base by Holland/Napoli) | ||||||||
| Team LOB - 5 | ||||||||
| Fielding | ||||||||
| Outfield Assists - Darnell McDonald 1 | ||||||||
| DP - Aviles-Pedroia-Gonzalez | ||||||||
| PB - Kelly Shoppach (2) | ||||||||
| Boston Red Sox | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Josh Beckett (L,1-2) | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 5.03 |
| Franklin Morales | 0.1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5.40 |
| Matt Albers | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.08 |
| IBB - Beltre by Franklin Morales, by Moreland | ||||||||
| HBP - Gentry (by Franklin Morales) | ||||||||
| Pitches-Strikes - Josh Beckett 110-68, Franklin Morales 29-11, Matt Albers 25-13 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Josh Beckett 5-8, Matt Albers 2-0 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - Josh Beckett 28, Franklin Morales 7, Matt Albers 5 | ||||||||
| Game Information |
| Attendance - 37967 |
| Game Time - 3:03 |
| Temperature - 51 |
| Umpires - Home - Jim Wolf, First Base - Derryl Cousins, Second Base - Al Porter, Third Base - Ron Kulpa |
| Other Games | |||||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||