Red Sox Wrap: Boston Holds Off Rangers After Strange Kutter Crawford Start

BOSTON — As has been the case since the All-Star Break, the Boston Red Sox generated plenty of offense to take down the Texas Rangers, 9-4, on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox improved to 63-55 while the Rangers dropped to 55-65.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Kutter Crawford was in desperate need of a bounce-back performance after posting a putrid 10.54 ERA over his last three starts.

And he couldn’t have been any better against the Rangers through 5 1/3 innings. Crawford was the definition of perfect. But then it all unraveled quickly for the right-hander.

Crawford cruised through the Rangers order to start the game, setting down the first 16 batters he faced with little issue. But with one out in the fifth, Rangers catcher Carson Kelly singled to left to break up Crawford’s perfect game. Then came a single by Leody Taveras. Then an RBI double by Marcus Semien. A walk to star shortstop Corey Seager followed and that was the night from Crawford.

The ending made it a rather perplexing outing from Crawford, who was charged for four runs on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

There were certainly positives for Crawford to take away as he silenced the Rangers offense for five innings. But the final four batters he faced surely will leave a sour taste in his mouth.

And if the Red Sox are to stay in the playoff hunt over the next month-and-a-half, they need Crawford to look more like the pitcher from the first five innings and not the one that struggled in the sixth inning.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Connor Wong’s three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning gave Boston a 6-0 cushion and ended up being the difference in the game. It was Wong’s 11th homer of the season as he continues to add to his career high. He added a double as part of a 2-for-4 night.

— Rob Refsnyder, who played the hero in the series opener, contributed again in a Red Sox win. Refsnyder played a part in Boston’s five-run fifth inning by driving in two runs with an RBI single.

— Lucas Sims got the Red Sox out of a major mess in the top of the sixth with the Rangers having already scored four runs in the frame. Sims entered with one out and the bases loaded by got Josh Jung to line out and struck out Wyatt Langford to end the threat. Sims tossed 1 1/3 innings of relief, allowing no runs, one hit and striking out two.

ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox will send Tanner Houck to the mound Wednesday looking to sweep the Rangers. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.