Done it by a punchless offense and some ill-timed defensive mistakes, the Red Sox saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 4-1 loss to the Texas Rangers.
The Sox managed just three hits and have scored a total of four runs in their last three games.
The Sox and Rangers were tied 1-1 in the sixth when an error by Xander Bogaerts put the potential go-ahead run on base. Starter Martin Perez gave way to Hirokazu Sawamura, whose first pitch was a hanging slider hit out by Jose Trevino. Isiah Kiner-Falefa added another solo homer in the seventh.
The Rangers' first run was aided by an error by Rafael Devers.
The only Red Sox run came in the sixth when Devers doubled to right, scoring Alex Verdugo.
WHO: Red Sox (15-9) vs. Texas Rangers (10-15)
WHEN: 8:05 p.m.
WHERE: Globe Life Field
SERIES TO DATE: First meeting
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Martin Perez (0-1, 5.71) vs. RHP Kyle Gibson (2-0, 2.30)
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez CF
Verdugo LF
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Vazquez C
Gonzalez 2B
Renfroe RF
Dalbec 1B
RANGERS
Kiner-Falefa SS
Solak 2B
Gallo DH
Garcia RF
Lowe 1B
Trevino C
Dahl LF
Culberson 3B
White CF
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
B8: Not exactly a high-leverage spot trailing by three runs, but Darwinzon Hernandez looks sharp here in the eighth, fanning the side.
B7: Isiah Kine-Felefa becomes the second Ranger player to take Sawamura deep.
B6: Well, that was ugly: first pitch from Hirokazu Sawamura was a hanging slider and Jose Trevino belts it out for a two-run homer. Red Sox had tied it up in the top of the inning, but that didn't last long.
T6: Can't think that Kyle Gibson wanted that pitch where he threw it -- down-and-in, where Devers could golf it into the right field corner, scoring Verdugo with the tying run. Devers had been averaging almost an RBI per game for three weeks now.
T6: Verdugo's fly ball to deepest center field is misplayed by Eli White and the Sox have a leadoff man in scoring position.
B4: Sacrifice fly by Garcia gives Texas 1-0 lead and ends the Red Sox' scoreless streak at 19.2 innings.
B4: Sloppiness all around for the Red Sox as Alex Verdugo's throw back to the infield on Joey Gallo's double eludes first Rafael Devers and then Bogaerts, allowing Gallo to advance to third.
B3: It goes without saying that this is easily the best Perez has looked this season. Getting ahead, command his fastball and spotting his changeup.
T3: Consecutive two-out walks for the Red Sox give them a chance at something, but Xander Bogaerts goes down swinging on three pitches, ending the threat.
B2: Christian Vazquez had allowed six steals in the first seven attempts against him this season, but he throws out Adolis Garcia on a strike-out/throw-out double play and has not gunned down the last two would-be base stealers.
B1: Martin Perez with a strong first inning, showing better command with his changeup. He needed just 12 pitches to get through the first.
PRE-GAME STATS: The Red Sox are undefeated in their last seven series, going 4-0-3 after being swept in their first series of the season...They've won three straight games, four of their last five and 16 of their last 22...The Sox have had five hits or fewer in each of their last three games -- and yet, won them all -- the first time in franchise history they've done so...In that time, Red Sox starters are a combined 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA, totaling 19 IP, 14 H, 4 ER, 3 BB and 25 K...In games decided by one or two runs, the Red Sox are 9-3 and have won the last five such games in a row...The Sox continue to have the best road record (8-1) in either league...This is only the third time in the last 20 years that the Sox have won at least eight of their first nine road games...They also did so in 2002 and 2018...Should the Red Sox win Thursday night to improve to 9-1 on the road, they'll match a start accomplished only twice before: 1946 and 2018. The Sox, of course, won the pennant in both of those season and won the World Series, too, in 2018...The team's road ERA to date is 2.79, second only to Kansas City's 2.56 ERA while opposing teams are batting just .199 against the Sox on the road, second-best behind the Dodgers (.185)...The Red Sox are 15-5 against Texas since the start of 2017 and are unbeaten in the last seven series (6-0-1)...They've also won the last three series in Arlington and the Sox are 7-3 in those last 10 games in Arlington...J.D. Martinez has hit safely in each of his last 12 games in Texas, hitting .449 with four homers and 11 RBI...The Sox have a staff scoreless streak of 16 innings...Red Sox starters have gone five or more innings in 19 of the first 24 games, second only to Oakland (20) among AL teams...Red Sox hitters lead the majors in batting average (.267), slugging percentage (.443) OPS (.772) and doubles (59)...Their 122 runs rank them first in the American League and fourth overall in MLB...The Sox are the only team in baseball with an OPS of .750 or greater against both lefties (.785) and righties (.767)....Martinez leads the majors in extra-base hits (17) and total bases (61) and is tied for the lead in doubles (10)...He also ranks second in the AL in RBI (21) and is tied for second in HR (7)... Rafael Devers is tied for the major league lead in barrels (15) and ranks third in highest percentage of batted balls that have been barreled (22.7)....Charlie Culberson is 3-for-3 lifetime against Martin Perez...Martinez is 10-for-33 with two homers off Kyle Gibson while Xander Bogaerts is 6-for-20.
NOTES:
- Alex Cora spoke about Martin Perez, tonight's starter, who has struggled in the first month: "Just like everybody else, (we want him to) just be aggressive in the strike zone. If he does that, he should be OK. His fastball velocity is up; now, we'll make sure that he gets the changeup close or in the strike zone, and he should get good results.''
- Cora was effusive in his praise for rookie Garrett Whitlock: "He keep growing and he keeps getting better,'' Cora said. "(Wednesday) was fun to watch -- 1-0 game in New York and to give us six outs, where we were bullpen-wise, was amazing. He keeps learning and he's an important piece of our bullpen.''
- Franchy Cordero was out of the lineup for the third straight games as he takes some time to work on his swing in the middle of an 0-for-13. "He needs to understand where his power is and where he should swing,'' said Cora. "He's been chasing a lot of pitches up in the zone and then that changeup low and away.'' Cora said he pans to use Cordero starts on Friday and Saturday against righties.
- Danny Santana, who missed half of spring training with a foot infection, has been cleared to start a rehab assignment at Single A Greenville next week. "He's a switch-hitter with speed and power,'' said Cora. "He's a quality at-bat from the left side. He brings speed, we can run a little bit more. That's what he brings. He's versatile, just like (Kike Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez). Let's see where it takes us. We need him to get healthy and get his repetitions. We have to be patient. But he's a good player who we really like. We do feel when he's right, he can contribute to a championship-caliber team.''