Bogaerts' homer lifts Red Sox over Rangers

Xander Bogaerts hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the seventh inning as the Boston Red Sox came back from an early five-run deficit to beat the visiting Texas Rangers 7-6 on Thursday. Bogaerts' homer, off Peter Fairbanks (0-1) with two outs, was the fifth of the day for the Red Sox, who rallied from 6-1 down in the second inning to salvage a split of the four-game series. Brandon Workman (4-1) got the win in relief, and Josh A. Smith pitched the ninth for his first career save.

Elvis Andrus led the Rangers' offence with three hits and three RBIs, and Shin-Soo Choo reached base five times on three walks and two hit by pitches. Texas failed to score after the second, leaving 14 men on base, including the tying run at third in the eighth and at second in the ninth. Seven Red Sox relievers combined to keep the Rangers off the board despite walking eight. David Price had his worst start of the season, allowing six runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. He walked one, hit two batters (Choo both times) and struck out two.

Boston's comeback began in the second inning as Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a three-run blast to centre to make it 6-4. Michael Chavis went to a knee on a solo homer just fair down the left field line in the fourth, and Rafael Devers knotted the score with a solo shot in the fifth. While the Red Sox slugged their way back into the game, the Rangers' offence stalled. Texas walked the bases loaded in the fourth and had two runners on in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Rangers came up empty every time.

The Rangers again loaded the bases with the score tied in the seventh, but Delino DeShields struck out against Workman despite getting ahead in the count 3-0. Texas roughed up Price for four runs in the first inning. Andrus singled home a run, Hunter Pence followed with an RBI double and Logan Forsythe had the big blow with a two-out, two-run single.

A J.D. Martinez homer in the bottom of the first made it 4-1. Andrus ended Price's night with a two-run single in the second. Rangers starter Adrian Sampson gave up six runs on seven hits (four homers) in five innings, walking one and striking out five. 

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