Gonzalez flirts with no-no in debut vs. Boston
ARLINGTON -- Alex Gonzalez had an ideal Major League debut Saturday at Globe Life Park, holding the Red Sox hitless through the first five innings and eventually getting the win in the Rangers' 8-0 victory.
Gonzalez walked five hitters and was near 100 pitches to start the sixth, when David Ortiz broke up his no-hit bid with a double.
"I was trying to not give up a run, I didn't care how many hits they got off me," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez, a first-round pick in 2013, went 5 2/3 innings, allowing only two hits and no runs to a Boston lineup that never got going. The Red Sox didn't fare much better defensively, either. A multitude of miscues in the field plagued Boston all game and helped fuel the Rangers' four-run fourth inning.
Rangers infielder Adam Rosales tied a career high with four hits and helped end Boston starter Wade Miley's night after four innings. The Rangers went on to expand their lead off Boston reliever Robbie Ross Jr., and the Red Sox could never answer back. Boston lost for the fifth time in the past six games, while the Rangers improved to 10-3 in their past 13 games.
Video: BOS@TEX: Rosales collects four hits against Red Sox
"That was not a good game," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "I thought we were tentative on defense, and it contributed in that four-run inning."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rangers capitalize on fielding mistakes: The Rangers batted around in the fourth inning in large part thanks to defensive lapses by the Red Sox. With the bases loaded, Robinson Chirinos lifted a catchable ball to right field; Rusney Castillo misjudged the ball and it cleared his glove for a two-run triple. Hanser Alberto drove in another run on a soft fielder's-choice grounder to shortstop Brock Holt, who threw home too late to catch Leonys Martin sliding headfirst at the plate.
Video: BOS@TEX: Chirinos scores a pair to extend the lead
Papi's double can't spark rally: David Ortiz ended Gonzalez's no-hit bid with a leadoff double in the sixth inning, but the rookie still escaped without allowing a run. After a Hanley Ramirez groundout moved Ortiz to third, Gonzalez stabbed a comebacker from Pablo Sandoval and caught Ortiz between third and home for an eventual out. Even after a Mike Napoli double gave Boston two runners in scoring position, the Sox came away empty-handed when Texas reliever Tanner Scheppers struck out Holt to end the inning.
Video: BOS@TEX: Gonzalez traps Ortiz to save a run
Bad hop puts Sox behind: The Rangers' first batter of the game, Delino DeShields, singled and scored on No. 2 hitter Elvis Andrus' double, which hopped over third baseman Sandoval's glove and trickled down the left-field line. Texas led the rest of the game.
"I'm sure the run on the board helped" starter Gonzalez settle down in his Major League debut, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
Video: BOS@TEX: Andrus' double gives Rangers the first lead
Miley doesn't get needed help: Miley came back out after the rough fourth inning, and the Red Sox made another mistake behind him. Holt fielded an Adrian Beltre grounder in the hole and short-hopped a throw to first base. Napoli couldn't come up with it, and Miley followed by walking Josh Hamilton and allowing a single to Rosales. Ross replaced him and held the Rangers to one run in the inning to minimize the damage. More >
"I really didn't execute pitches," Miley said. "I didn't have command with anything. I was falling behind, and that's going to happen when you fall behind."
QUOTABLE
"We played terrible. No energy, that was bad." -- Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Gonzalez tossed 5 2/3 no-hit innings to start his Major League career, the most hitless innings by a Rangers pitcher in his debut since Roger Pavlik tossed 5 1/3 no-hit innings in Chicago on May 2, 1992.
WHAT'S NEXT
Red Sox: Joe Kelly aims to get back on track in the series finale at 3:05 p.m. ET. Kelly allowed seven earned runs in 1 2/3 innings in his last outing, but has allowed only two earned runs in 12 career innings against the Rangers.
Rangers: In the Rangers' final meeting with the Red Sox this season, at 2:05 p.m. CT, Texas starter Wandy Rodriguez will try for one more solid outing in May, a month in which he is 4-1 with a 3.23 ERA and a .193 opponents' batting average in five starts.
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