American League Game Summary - Texas at Boston
(Tuesday, April 17th)
Final Score: Texas 18, Boston 3
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Josh Hamilton hit a three-run shot and drove in
five runs, while Mike Napoli homered twice and knocked in four, as Texas
ripped Boston, 18-3, in the opener of a two-game series from Fenway Park.
Elvis Andrus added three RBI, Nelson Cruz launched a two-run blast and Michael
Young added a solo blast for the Rangers, who have won five in a row and are
off to their best start since going 10-1 in 1989.
Colby Lewis (2-0) worked seven innings, allowing eight hits and two runs while
fanning seven. Texas backed the right-handed with a season-high 21 hits.
"It was one of those nights we swung the bats well," Rangers manager Ron
Washington said. "We played good defense, we ran the bases, we pitched and we
did everything that we were supposed to do."
Dustin Pedroia posted a two-run homer and Adrian Gonzalez also went deep for
the Red Sox, who have dropped two in a row since starting this nine-game
homestand with three straight wins.
Jon Lester (0-2) didn't make it out of the third inning, charged in defeat
with eight hits and seven runs with four walks.
"It was one of those nights where I just flat-out stunk," said Lester. "When I
did make the adjustment and tried to get back in the zone it wasn't good
enough."
Lester was yanked in the third after loading the bases with none out, but
Scott Atchison gave up an RBI fielder's choice to Craig Gentry, an Andrus
sacrifice fly and a run-scoring hit from Hamilton to make it 7-2.
Young's two-out solo shot in the sixth increased the Texas edge to six, then
the visitors ripped the game open in an eight-run eighth.
Ian Kinsler started the frame with a double, Andrus walked, then Hamilton
slammed a three-run shot to right. Adrian Beltre followed with a solo shot,
then after David Murphy followed with a pinch-hit base on balls, Cruz cleared
the wall in center to bring the margin to 14-2.
Pinch-hitter Alberto Gonzalez brought in a run with a groundout and Andrus
doubled home Gentry to cap the burst.
Adrian Gonzalez answered with a solo homer in the home half, but Napoli
hoisted a two-run blast in the ninth.
Things looked better early on for the Red Sox.
Lewis served up a leadoff single to Mike Aviles then Pedroia cranked one over
the Green Monster for a 2-0 game, but Cruz hit a one-out double in the second
and scored when Napoli cleared the wall in left.
Later in the frame, after two walks and a single loaded the bases, Andrus'
dribbler to the mound scored one and Hamilton followed with an RBI fielder's
choice.
Game Notes
For the Rangers, Tuesday marked their highest single-game home-run total since
going deep six times against Detroit in August of 2008...Texas won six of 10
meetings from Boston a year ago, and has taken three of the last four matchups
at Fenway...The two-time defending AL champions racked up the most runs in one
regular-season game since a 19-6 victory against Baltimore on April 15,
2009...Red Sox reliever Mark Melancon faced six batters in the eighth inning
and failed to record an out, spiking his ERA to 49.50...Napoli recorded his
first multi-homer outing since accomplishing the feat in two straight games on
September 27-28 on the road against the Angels.
04/18 03:23:05 ET

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