Red Sox Roll To 12-5 Victory Over Rangers On Independence Day
By The Sports Xchange
BOSTON -- Rick Porcello and the Boston Red Sox spotted the heavy-hitting Texas Rangers four runs in the first inning and then came roaring back for a 12-5 holiday matinee drubbing of the team with the best record in the American League on Monday.
Porcello, who became Boston's first 10-game winner, shut down Texas for the rest of his six-inning outing. For the second straight day, all nine Red Sox starters had at least one hit as Boston collected a season-high 21 to win for the third time in four contests on a nine-game homestand leading up to the All-Star break.
Sandy Leon ripped four more hits, Brock Holt, Dustin Pedroia, Travis Shaw and Mookie Betts homered, Xander Bogaerts and Pedroia had three hits apiece and Hanley Ramirez and David Ortiz both ripped two doubles in the victory. The Red Sox have recorded 22 runs on 37 hits in two games since losing 21-2 to the Los Angeles Angels Saturday night.
Leon is 20-for-40 and forcing the team's hand when catcher Ryan Hanigan returns from the disabled list, as early as Tuesday.
The Red Sox had 13 extra-base hits (nine doubles), tying the Rangers record for extra-base hits allowed in a game. Texas also yielded 13 in a 17-5 loss in Boston June 4, 1913.
Porcello (10-2), who is 4-0 with five no-decisions in his last nine starts, gave up five hits in the first inning and 12 overall but still improved to 7-0 in eight starts at Fenway Park this season. He hasn't lost since May 17.
Nick Martinez (1-2) was pelted with six runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings for Texas.
Holt hit a go-ahead two-run homer in a four-run third inning and Leon (19-for-39 this season) had a pair of doubles. Pedroia led off the seventh with his 500th career extra-base hit.
Rougned Odor, who had been in a slump, had a two-run single in the first inning and hit his 16th homer of the season leading off the eighth against Koji Uehara. He joined teammates Adrian Beltre and Ian Desmond with three hits in the game.
NOTES: Rangers 1B Mitch Moreland missed his second straight start with right calf soreness. Manager Jeff Banister said he hopes to have Moreland back for Wednesday night's series finale. Moreland is just 5-for-27 in his last 10 games and batting .211 in his last 15. ... Red Sox manager John Farrell hinted RHP Sean O'Sullivan will remain in the rotation after Sunday's solid start -- with floundering RHP Clay Buchholz going back to the bullpen, his second such demotion this season. ... Boston C Ryan Hanigan (neck) was close to reinstatement from minor league rehab and, with the strong hitting of Sandy Leon, young C Christian Vazquez was a candidate for a trip to Triple-A. ... Red Sox LHP David Price, shelled in a recent outing at Texas and 0-1 with 10 runs and 21 hits allowed in 8 2/3 innings over his last two starts, faces A.J. Griffin in the second game of the series on Tuesday night. Elvin Andrus is 12-for-27 (.444) lifetime against Price, just 4-7 in his career against the Rangers, counting playoffs.