Red Sox look to salvage split vs. Rangers

Field Level Media

June 13, 2019 at 6:21 am.

Jun 8, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher David Price (10) pitches during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 8, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher David Price (10) pitches during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox moved up their game three hours and walked off with a win. Now they have a chance to split a series in which they lost the first two games.

A bases-loaded walk to Mookie Betts forced in the game-winning run in the Red Sox’s 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, helping the team break its three-game losing streak and move one game above .500 on the season.

The third game of the four-game series with Texas was moved ahead to prevent a conflict with Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins at TD Garden in Boston, and the win allows the Red Sox the chance to keep the Rangers from winning a series at Fenway Park for the first time since 2016.

Texas will send out right-hander Adrian Sampson (5-3, 3.72 ERA) against Boston lefty David Price (4-2, 2.70). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Fenway Park.

Price, the 2012 Cy Young Award winner, is 4-1 with a 1.88 ERA over his last nine starts, helping the Red Sox in their efforts to chase down the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East standings.

Price beat the Rays 5-1 on Sunday in the second game of a doubleheader by working six innings of one-run ball — the team’s lone win in a span of six home games before Wednesday.

“That was a big game for us to keep moving forward … so that’s big,” Price, who struck out 10 against his former team, told reporters of the game.

Added Boston manager Alex Cora: “He’s been the stopper the whole season.”

The Rangers lost for just the third time in nine games Wednesday, and it came via an unlikely source.

Boston scored the game-winning run against reliever Jesse Chavez, who was holding the league’s longest active scoreless innings streak at 22 2/3, which he compiled over an 18-game stretch.

Chavez recorded a one-pitch out in a jam in a 3-3 game in the bottom of the eighth, but Boston put runners on second and third with no outs in the ninth.

A walk loaded the bases, then the right-hander lost the strike zone again and issued a base on balls to Betts to give the Red Sox the win.

After the game, however, first-year Rangers manager Chris Woodward told reporters he wouldn’t hesitate to bring Chavez back out on Thursday.

“He battled obviously at the end, but he’s one of the best,” Woodward said. “There were a couple of close pitches, but we’ll put the ball right back in his hand.”

Texas also announced changes to its upcoming rotation and bullpen as the club winds up its four-game series in Boston and moves on to Cincinnati.

Woodward said struggling starting pitcher Drew Smyly will move to the bullpen and begin working out of there for now to get his game back on track.

The lefty has been dreadful in his last two starts, posting an 0-2 record and a 17.05 ERA in just 6 1/3 innings.

Smyly has complained of left ankle soreness but said the nagging injury wasn’t bad enough to force a move to the injured list.

Woodward also said Friday would be a bullpen game but added that Smyly would not be the reliever who will start the opening game against the Reds.

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