Red Sox Win 4th Straight, 6-2 Over Rangers
BOSTON (AP) — Drew Pomeranz pitched six strong innings and tied his career high with 11 strikeouts to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 6-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
Xander Bogaerts and Deven Marrero hit their first home runs of the season helping Boston to its fourth straight win.
Pomeranz (4-3) made it as far as six innings for the third time this season and beat Texas for the first time in nine career outings.
Elvis Andrus homered and Nomar Mazara had two hits and an RBI for Texas, which has lost four of five overall and 15 of 21 on the road.
Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Moreland had RBI singles in the first inning as Boston got to Rangers starter Nick Martinez (1-3) early.
Bogaerts hit a two-run homer in the third to put Boston ahead 4-0. Despite finishing with 21 home runs last year, Bogaerts needed 46 games to connect for the first time this season.
Red Sox pitchers combined for 20 strikeouts. Reliever Craig Kimbrel had four strikeouts in the ninth when the first batter reached on a wild pitch strike three.
Mike Napoli struck out four times while Pete Kozma and Andrus went down three times each. Every Ranger starter struck out at least once as they finished one shy of the club record.
Marrero homered in the eighth off Alex Claudio.
Martinez gave up four runs in five innings and is winless in four starts against Boston with a 6.46 ERA.
Andrus cut Boston's lead to 4-1 in the fourth inning with the homer, snapping an 0-for-9 drought.
Moreland tied his career high by driving in at least one run for the sixth straight game and extended his hitting streak to seven games, batting .393 in that stretch.
Boston swept Texas for the first time at Fenway Park since 2008. Since 2009, Texas has the best winning percentage at Fenway Park in the major leagues at .600.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: 3B Adrian Beltre will play in extended spring training games in Arizona the next three days after being sidelined all season with a calf strain.
Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia was removed from the game after five innings for precautionary reasons due to left knee pain. He is listed as day to day. ... LHP David Price will make his season debut Monday in Chicago against the White Sox despite surrendering six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings over his last two rehab starts. ... 3B Pablo Sandoval is 3 for 13 in four rehab games.
UP NEXT:
Rangers: Will send RHP A.J. Griffin (4-1) in the opener at Toronto.
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (3-1) looks to win his fourth straight decision when they entertain Seattle on Friday.
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