Eight Straight

Boston 8, Texas 4

BOSTON – Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run triple to cap a five-run third inning for the Boston Red Sox en route to Tuesday night’s 8-4 victory against the visiting Texas Rangers in the second of a three-game series.

Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi each had RBI doubles in the frame, and Mitch Moreland added an RBI single for the first of his two RBIs on the night for Boston, which has won eight straight games.

Rougned Odor hit a solo home run and Joey Gallo ripped a two-run double for Texas, which has dropped seven of nine.

Boston reliever Matt Barnes (3-2) earned the win after striking out the side in the seventh. Red Sox starter Hector Velazquez tossed three innings of one-run ball in a no-decision, allowing two hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

Texas starter Yovani Gallardo (3-1) surrendered six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two over five innings.

Odor’s sixth homer of the season to deep right field put Texas ahead 1-0 in the second.

Bradley’s double to left-center with an out in the third tied it. Benintendi socked his go-ahead two-bagger two at-bats later, the first of four Boston runs with two outs in the inning. Moreland’s single and Bogaerts’ triple broke the game open.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded into a double play in the fourth to produce the Rangers’ second run.

Texas nearly made it a one-run game in the fifth, but Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts robbed Nomar Mazara of a two-run homer at the wall.

Moreland’s sacrifice fly in the fifth restored Boston’s four-run lead. Gallo’s double in the sixth brought the Rangers within two, but Bradley doubled again in the bottom half to drive in a run and make it a three-run game.

Benintendi doubled again in the seventh to make it 8-4.

Rangers veteran righty Bartolo Colon (5-6, 4.65 ERA) opposes Red Sox ace southpaw Chris Sale (9-4, 2.36) Wednesday. A victory would make the 45-year-old Colon the all-time winningest pitcher from Latin America with 246 wins.

–Field Level Media