* Text Features

The Boston Red Sox Thursday, July 6, 2017 * The Boston Globe Red Sox were due for a stinker, and Wednesday was it Peter Abraham ARLINGTON, Texas — Many of the Red Sox players were watching the large-screen television in the clubhouse on Wednesday afternoon when the Yankees lost their game against the Toronto Blue Jays. But the lure of adding to their lead in the American League East was not a particularly compelling one, it seemed. When the Red Sox took the field a few hours later against the Texas Rangers it was without much verve and the result was an 8-2 loss. Maybe it was the rain delay that lasted nearly 90 minutes before first pitch or the inevitably they were due to mix in a stinker after winning six straight. For whatever the reason, it was ugly. The Sox were held to three hits, the first not coming until the sixth inning. Andrew Cashner and two relievers eased through a lineup that had been scoring runs in bunches. Sox starter Doug Fister was hit hard and knocked from the game in the fourth inning. The road trip continues on Thursday night at Tampa Bay and the Sox will have Chris Sale against the Rays, so there’s that. Fister kept the Red Sox in the game in each of his first two starts, allowing three runs each time. But the Rangers took advantage of fastballs that stayed over the plate. “Up in the strike zone much more than he’s been in the previous starts that he’s made for us,” manager John Farrell said. Fister (0-2) was charged with six runs, four earned, on five hits, three walks and a hit batter. He struck out three and threw 89 pitches, 48 for strikes. The Sox had to run through four relievers to finish the game. “I know they’re taxed and I’m adding to that. That’s a frustrating thing for me,” Fister said. “I’m not getting my job done and I need to obviously to do better.” Fister has allowed nine earned runs over 14⅔ innings, which isn’t promising. But the Red Sox play six games in the first five days following the All-Star break and will need an extra starter and Fister will get another start. Farrell quickly confirmed that when asked after the game. Where Fister would fit on the pitching staff after that is uncertain. With Eduardo Rodriguez expected back off the disabled list following the break, the only option would be the bullpen. Adrian Beltre, the last great Red Sox third baseman, doubled to lead off the second inning and scored on a home run to right center by Rougned Odor. Carlos Gomez homered to left field in the third inning. Odor and Mike Napoli walked leading off the forth inning. With a 3-0 lead in a hitter-friendly park, the Rangers decided to give up an out and sacrifice the runners over. When Jurickson Profar bunted, Fister bobbled the ball and the Rangers had the bases loaded. Fister intended to go to third and wasn’t able to make the play. “Little things like that can cause a big inning,” he said. It did. Jonathan Lucroy and Shin-Soo Choo had sacrifice flies. Gomes then singled to drive in Profar. That was it for Fister. That the Rangers hit Fister hard was no surprise. As a member of the Houston Astros, he faced Texas five times last season and had 4.73 earned run average. In the final two starts, Fister gave up 11 earned runs on 16 hits over nine innings. Robby Scott hit Beltre and Odor to start the fourth inning. Beltre walked a few steps to retrieve the ball and flipped it back to Scott. Profar then belted a two-run double. Odor later left the game because of a bruise on his left hand. X-rays were negative. Scott has allowed five runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings in his last four appearances. This marks the first real bump during his time in the majors. The rookie lefthander has been overthrowing, Farrell said before the game. The Red Sox came into the game having scored 53 runs on 85 hits during their win streak. But they did not get a hit against Cashner until the sixth when Xander Bogaerts hit his sixth home run. “Make no mistake, Cashner, that was the better games that I think he’s thrown this year,” Farrell said. “He’s in the mid-90s with heavy sink, got a couple of different breaking balls that he mixed in.” Cashner, who had a 6.14 ERA in June, retired 17 of the first 19 batters he faced. The exceptions were walks drawn by Andrew Benintendi (second inning) and Tzu-Wei Lin (third inning). Dustin Pedroia reached on an error with two outs in the sixth before Bogaerts kept his hands inside a fastball off the plate and lined the ball over the out-of-town scoreboard in left field. Pedroia had left the game for a pinch runner at that point. Farrell wanted to get him a break to manage the left knee injury he is playing through. Pedroia should be ready for Thursday. Cashner (4-7) allowed the two unearned runs on three hits. He walked three and struck out four. The Sox finished 5-1 against the Rangers this season. Tzu-Wei Lin making a name for himself and giving Red Sox a boost Peter Abraham ARLINGTON, Texas — You can tell the Red Sox like rookie infielder Tzu-Wei Lin. For two days now, manager John Farrell had referred to him on first reference as “Linny.” The 23-year-old from Taiwan has been far better then expected since being called up from Double A Portland on June 24. “It’s been a great boost,” Farrell said Wednesday before the Sox played the Texas Rangers. “Tzu-Wei has injected a lot here. He stepped in and has done a great job. “I can tell you, the energy in the dugout and some of the comments, whether it’s ‘Linny’ or ‘Linsanity,’ whatever it might be . there’s a side thing that’s going on here that we can’t turn away from. We recognize it.” Through Tuesday, the Sox were 6-0 in the games Lin has started. He was 9 of 22 in those games with two triples, five runs scored, three walks, two RBIs, a sacrifice, and a stolen base. He also started two games at shortstop filling in for Xander Bogaerts. (His name is pronounced “Zoo-way” in case you’re discussing this with your friends.) “He’s been great,” said Andrew Benintendi, who played with Lin in Portland last season. “He’s a tough at- bat and very athletic. He’s helping us a lot.” Deven Marrero, now working in a platoon with Lin, is 11 of 27 in his last eight games with three extra-base hits and eight runs scored. For the first time all season, third base has been a productive offensive position for the Sox. The duo also has played above-average defense. “Sometimes you don’t want to disrupt a good thing,” Farrell said. “Clearly, he and Deven, what they’ve done at third base has given us a lot of momentum.” As Lin and Marrero produce, Pablo Sandoval is nine games into his injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple A Pawtucket. He is 11 of 36 (.306) with one home run and three RBIs. Sandoval went on the disabled list on June 20 with what the team said was an inner ear infection. He has played 32 major league games, hitting .212 and playing poor defensively. Sandoval’s assignment can last through July 16, so the Red Sox have ample time to decide what comes next. Sandoval cannot be optioned or outrighted to the minors, so the Sox will have to make a decision on his future at some point. Sandoval is signed through 2019 and has $49 million left on his contract. The Sox also cannot assume Lin and Marrero will produce to his level going forward. Lin had a .638 OPS in six minor league seasons and Marrero a .566. How the roster shakes out is to be determined. But for now, Linny is a popular figure. “Glad he’s here,” Benintendi said. Rodriguez in limbo Eduardo Rodriguez will rejoin the team on Thursday in Florida after pitching four innings for Pawtucket on Tuesday night. The lefthander, who is on the disabled with a right knee injury, allowed four runs on four hits and five walks. Rodriguez has started two games in the minors and has an 11.57 ERA and 2.57 WHIP. Fastball command, Farrell said, needs improvement. The Sox appear prepared to have Rodriguez pitch another minor league game on Sunday, then enter the major league rotation after the All-Star break. Farrell will talk it over with Rodriguez on Thursday. “That will give us an opportunity to sit down with him and map out what’s best for him, what’s best for us,” the manager said. “The most important thing is physically he feels good.” The Sox have six games in their first five days coming out of the All-Star break and will need an extra starter. They could have Rodriguez come back on July 14, which would give the other starters an extended break. Holt to Portland Brock Holt had his rehab assignment moved to Portland and he will play for the Sea Dogs at least three days.

Load more