Red Sox rally to end 4-game skid with 4-2 win over Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rob Refsnyder scored on a two-run single in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox ended a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the chasing Texas Rangers. playoffs, who lost. their fourth in a row even after getting two All-Star players back in their lineup Monday night.

Boston rallied against reliever Will Smith (2-7), who walked No. 8 hitter Luis Urias, then allowed a double that broke No. 9 hitter Connor Wong’s 0-for-17 slide. Refsnyder’s hit that made it 3-2 came after Rafael Devers, with 10 hits in his previous 21 at-bats, was intentionally walked. Adam Duvall followed with a sac fly.

Marcus Semien, the only Rangers player to start all 150 games, hit another walk-off home run and had an RBI single.

Texas (82-68), already assured of its first winning record since 2016, started the first day ahead of Seattle for the third and final American League wild card spot. The Mariners, whom the Rangers face seven times in the final 10 days of the season, were in Oakland Monday night.

Although not yet eliminated from the playoffs, the Red Sox (75-76) were at the bottom of the AL East standings and 7 1/2 games behind the final wild card spot with just 11 games remaining. play. Urias had an RBI single in the fifth for his other run.

Josh Winckowski (4-2) struck out three and walked two in a scoreless seventh for Boston after starter Kutter Crawford had seven strikeouts with no walks and allowed two runs in six innings. Chris Martin struck out two in the ninth, his 19th straight scoreless appearance and second save.

Rangers rookie third baseman Josh Jung and right fielder Adolis Garcia were both activated from the injured list. Jung, who was 1 for 4 with a single in the ninth inning, was out six weeks with a broken left thumb. Garcia went 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts after missing 10 games with a strained patella tendon in his right knee.

It was the first time since night shortstop Corey Seager left with a sprained right thumb and missed nine games on July 21 that the Rangers had in their lineup all five players at their position who started for the American League during the All-Star Game. July 11. Receiver Jonah Heim has also had a stint on the IL since then.

SEMIEN’S QUICK SHOTS

Semien’s 25th home run of the season came on the first pitch thrown by Crawford. It was an AL-best ninth homer in a first inning for Semien, extending his franchise single-season record. It was the third time this month he hit a leadoff home run on the first pitch.

SOLID START

Trade deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery struck out eight with no walks while allowing one run in seven innings in his ninth start for the Rangers.

TRAINERS ROOM

Red Sox: Rookie Wilyer Abreu was out of the lineup a day after injuring his pitching hand when he crashed into the wall while trying to make a late catch in their loss at Toronto. He is expected back in the lineup Tuesday.

FOLLOWING

Rangers All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who was with the Red Sox for the past five seasons, will pitch against them Tuesday night in the middle of the series game. It’s just the fourth start for Eovaldi (11-4, 2.96 ERA) since coming off the IL after missing seven weeks with a right forearm strain. Right-hander Tanner Houck (5-9, 4.94) opts for the Red Sox.