Jun 11, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (50) hits a solo home run against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Fenway Park. Photo Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps the Boston Red Sox are starting to let their frustrations show.
The defending World Series champions dropped to .500 this season (34-34) with a 9-5 loss Tuesday night to the Texas Rangers.
It was the fifth loss in six games on the current homestand for the Red Sox, who are 15-17 at Fenway Park. They have two more games against the Rangers before hitting the road.
Boston outfielder Andrew Benintendi and manager Alex Cora were ejected in the fifth inning Tuesday for arguing with umpires.
A half-inning later, right fielder Brock Holt allowed Texas’ Hunter Pence to scamper around the bases for a stand-up, inside-the-park home run after giving up on the play when he thought the ball had landed in the stands. Instead, the ball fell just out of Holt’s reach as he lunged over the railing and into the stands in an effort to make the catch.
The ball ricocheted off the wall in the right field corner and rolled along the warning track before coming to a stop near the bullpens in right-center field as Pence crossed home plate.
“Guys are frustrated. We try not to be, but games like tonight, it’s embarrassing,” Holt said. “We’re not playing well. We’re not playing up to our capabilities, and that’s the frustrating part.”
After grounding out to shortstop, Benintendi muttered something and was ejected by first base umpire Vic Carapazza. Benintendi didn’t originally realize he had been tossed before reaching the dugout. Once he learned of his fate, he returned to the top step of the dugout and screamed at plate umpire Angel Hernandez.
Cora came out to argue with both umpires and received his third career ejection, counting one in the postseason.
After the game in the clubhouse, Benintendi seemed perplexed as to why he had been tossed by Carapazza when his beef was with Hernandez.
“I know that Angel didn’t hear me,” Benintendi told reporters. “It stinks. We’re out there trying to win a game. I want to be a part of it, but can’t do that when I’m in here.”
Hernandez issued a statement through a pool reporter after the game.
“He violated the rules of the game,” Hernandez said. “I’m not at liberty to discuss anything until I submit the report (Wednesday).”
The Rangers weren’t immune, as manager Chris Woodward earned his first career ejection after Asdrubal Cabrera was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double just after Pence’s home run. Woodward said he was upset because he was considering challenging the call via video review but wasn’t told when he had exceeded the 30-second limit.
“I just want consistency — that’s all — from the umpires,” Woodward said. “They have a hard job to do. But most umpires give you the ultimatum when it comes down to the 30 seconds. I don’t have a 30-second clock in my head — I’m not that gifted.”
Said Hernandez: “We were not going to review the play once time expired. These are rules. It’s my job to enforce them.”
A pair of veteran right-handers are scheduled to start Wednesday as the Rangers’ Lance Lynn (7-4, 4.39 ERA) goes up against the Red Sox’s Rick Porcello (4-6, 4.86). Lynn is 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA in six career appearances against Boston, including five starts. Porcello is 7-4 with a 5.16 ERA in 12 starts against Texas.
