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The Boston Red Sox are out to prove they don’t need to hit the long ball to score runs.
The Red Sox entered Tuesday’s game at Fenway Park last in the American League in home runs, but they had 11 hits, none of which were home runs, and got RBIs from four different players in an 11-6 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Xander Bogaerts and Dustin Pedroia spearheaded the offensive onslaught as the middle-infield tandem combined for five hits, five RBIs and five runs scored.
The Red Sox improved to 23-21, while the Rangers fell to 24-22 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Momentum.
The Red Sox’s offensive outburst from Sunday carried over to Tuesday night as Boston got offensive production from nearly every spot in the lineup, including a combined five RBIs from Pedroia and Bogaerts.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Boston scored four runs in the sixth inning off the Rangers’ bullpen to take a six-run lead.
The Rangers closed the gap to three but couldn’t get any closer against the Red Sox’s pitching staff.
ON THE BUMP
— Rick Porcello has struggled against the Rangers in his career, and that continued Tuesday night. The reigning American League Cy Young winner was unable to deliver shutdown innings, as he allowed five runs (four earned) on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings. Porcello struck four and didn’t issue a walk.
The Red Sox right-hander hit his first speed bump in the third inning when Joey Gallo led off with a double off the Green Monster and moved to third on a single by Jared Hoying. Delino DeShields Jr. plated Gallo with a sacrifice fly to right field that tied the game.
Texas tied the game again in the fifth inning when Shin-Soo Choo drove in DeShields Jr. with a two-out double off the Green Monster.
The Rangers cut into the Red Sox’s lead again in the sixth inning when Rougned Odor reached on a ground-rule double down the left-field line. Mike Napoli then smoked a single to right field, and Mookie Betts unleashed an errant throw from right field that allowed Odor to score.
Porcello failed to record a shutdown inning again in the seventh. The Rangers put the first two men on, and Choo drove in a run with an RBI single to left field. Texas scored another run when Elvis Andrus rolled into a double play to trim the Red Sox’s lead to four.
— Heath Hembree relieved Porcello in the seventh inning and surrendered a double to Jonathan Lucroy, but the Red Sox executed a perfect 8-6-2 relay to gun down Nomar Mazara at home plate to end the inning.
— Robby Scott pitched the eighth inning and gave up a solo home run to Gallo that cut the lead to three.
— Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Hanley Ramirez led off the second inning with a walk, and Mitch Moreland followed by lacing a single back up the middle. Ramirez scored two batters later on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Sandy Leon to give Boston a one-run lead.
— Boston re-took the lead with a two-out rally in the fourth inning. Bogaerts reached on an infield single and moved to third on a bloop single by Andrew Benintendi. The Red Sox shortstop scored when Andrew Cashner uncorked a wild pitch to the backstop that allowed him to scoot home.
— Bogaerts struck again in the fifth inning when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs. Bogaerts ripped a two-run single to left to score Pedroia and Deven Marrero, and he came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Moreland.
— The Red Sox scored four more runs in the sixth inning to take a six-run lead. Pedroia knocked in two runs with a double to right field and scored on a double by Bogaerts. After walks to Benintendi and Ramirez, Bogaerts scored on another wild pitch, this time by Jeremy Jeffress.
— Boston scored two more runs in the ninth as Moreland recorded an RBI single and Benintendi scored on a balk.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
This seems like a good idea.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will resume their three-game series with the Rangers on Wednesday night at Fenway Park. Chris Sale will get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Martin Perez for Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
