BOSTON — The Red Sox have had trouble winning low-scoring games this season, but they didn’t have to worry about that Wednesday night.
David Ortiz set the tone with a two-run homer in the first inning and Boston didn’t look back, racking up 11 runs on 10 hits to secure an 11-6 win over the Texas Rangers in the teams’ series finale at Fenway Park.
Right-hander Steven Wright went six innings to pick up his 10th win of the season, as the Red Sox notched their fourth victory in their last six games.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Sluggish.
The Rangers apparently decided not to show up for the start of this one. They made three errors in the second inning and a number of other defensive blunders early in the game, allowing the Red Sox to open up a massive 11-1 lead and stave off any chance of a Texas comeback.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
The Rangers’ infield forgot how to play defense in the second inning.
Boston broke the game open with a five-run frame thanks to errors by second baseman Rougned Odor, third baseman Adrian Beltre and shortstop Elvis Andrus. The big inning put the Sox up 7-0, which proved to be enough for the victory.
ON THE BUMP
— Wright did enough to earn the victory, but he didn’t exactly pitch like an All-Star.
The right-handed knuckleballer had little trouble through the first five innings but hit a roadblock in the sixth when Prince Fielder took him for a two-run homer.
Wright was chased in the sixth after allowing three consecutive hits to start the frame and finished the night with six runs allowed (five earned) in six-plus innings pitched, bumping his ERA from 2.42 to 2.68.
He tallied seven strikeouts, walked one and hit a batter.
— Tommy Layne struck out the side in the sixth but allowed an RBI single to the Rangers’ Jared Hoying that allowed Wright’s inherited runner to score.
Layne recorded one out in the seventh and went 1 1/3 innings, allowing zero earned runs on one hit, one walk and three strikeouts.
— Matt Barnes recorded the final two outs of the eighth.
— Craig Kimbrel issued a pair of walks but struck out a batter and didn’t allow a run in the ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Ortiz started the scoring early with a two-run blast in the first inning, his 20th of the season. Ortiz finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs and now has 69 RBIs on the season, good for second in the American League behind Edwin Encarnacion.
— Ryan Hanigan ripped a two-RBI single in the second inning in his first at-bat since June 4. He finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
— Bryce Brentz had a big night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
— Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. each went 1-for-3 and scored a pair of runs.
— Mookie Betts went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored and now has multiple hits in 9 of his last 14 games.
— Travis Shaw went 1-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored but exited the game in the seventh inning with a left foot contusion. He was replaced by Marco Hernandez.
— Dustin Pedroia was the only Red Sox starter who failed to record a hit, going 0-for-4 with zero runs scored.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Rangers starter Martin Perez took one for the team Wednesday night, and Eduardo Rodriguez knows how he feels.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox get Thursday off before beginning a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Journeyman right-hander Sean O’Sullivan is scheduled to start Friday opposite Rays ace Chris Archer.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
