The Texas Rangers scored one run but the Boston Red Sox scored ten runs.
The Rangers collected three hits in their first four at-bats against tonight’s Boston starter Sonny Gray but because they’re now, paradoxically, a pop-less small ball team with slow baserunners, all three hits were singles and all three were required to score their first inning run that put them up 1-0.
If you didn’t watch the game or check the score or read the headline of this post or read the introductory sentence, yes, that
was the only run that Texas scored on the night. In fact, the Rangers didn’t even have another hit until the top of the sixth and just three more total after the flurry to begin the game. By the time they got that fourth hit, it was 6-1 Boston.
It was 2-1 Boston after the first inning so that Texas lead didn’t even last very long. In fact, it was 2-1 Boston after their first hit of the game. Because they hit a home run.
Technically it wasn’t a two-run home run because Boston’s first run scored in part because the Rangers were poor at virtually every aspect of the sport tonight. In this instance Jack Leiter walked the leadoff hitter and, following a force out, Ceddanne Rafaela reached third base on a throwing error on a stolen base attempt and scored on a sac fly like 220 feet down the left field line.
The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Red Sox decided to pepper the Green Monster with bullets to further inflate Leiter’s ever-expanding ERA. By the end of the frame, Boston had scored four runs following three consecutive doubles and a two-base throwing error by Josh Jung.
Leading the way with three RBIs tonight was Wilyer Abreu (tied with Rafaela) who would be make Shohei Ohtani look like Justin Foscue if he were allowed to play the Rangers every night. The Red Sox scored three more in the eighth. The Nos. 2-4 hitters for Boston had nine hits and eight RBIs between them.
Anyway the Rangers are back below .500.
Player of the Game: It’s quaint comparatively but Wyatt Langford had two whole hits tonight!
Up Next: The Rangers will look to rebound with RHP Jacob deGrom on the mound against LHP Ranger Suarez for Boston.
Saturday’s first pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 3:10 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
