Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy hasn’t liked what he’s seen from his team in its last two games, and he’s undoubtedly hoping things look better when the Rangers open a three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.
Texas is coming off Wednesday’s 10-1 loss to St. Louis. Marcus Semien collected two of the Rangers’ five hits.
That game came one day after the Rangers were held to four hits in an 8-1 loss to the Cardinals.
“We’ve got to get these bats going,” Bochy said following Wednesday’s defeat. “We have to put some pressure on the other club. … We have to do some things offensively.
“It’s just going out and playing better baseball. Execution both in the pitching side (and) the hitting side. Defensively, too. We’ve had a couple games where we have not been as sharp as we’ve been all year. We have to tighten that up.”
Texas, which has lost five of its last six games, has not announced a starting pitcher for Friday’s matchup.
Boston is 4-8 in the second half of the season but enters the weekend with some positive momentum. Rafael Devers hit an RBI double in the 10th inning that gave the Red Sox a 3-2 homr victory over Seattle on Wednesday.
The game-winning RBI capped a huge offensive month for Devers, who batted .362 with six home runs, 24 RBIs, 20 runs, 10 doubles, two triples and a 1.132 OPS in 24 games in July.
The Red Sox beat the Mariners twice in the three-game series to win their first series in four tries since the All-Star break. The victory also ended a stretch of six straight games in which Boston had allowed at least seven runs.
“It feels like a relief, to be honest with you,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It was a grind, the whole day. It was hot out there and every pitch mattered. They have a good team, they can pitch, we had our chances and they didn’t happen, so to win the series feels good.”
Right-hander Kutter Crawford (6-8, 3.60 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for Boston on Friday. Crawford was roughed up by the New York Yankees in his last start, an 11-8 loss Saturday. He allowed five runs on eight hits (three home runs) in 4 2/3 innings.
Crawford has made three career appearances against Texas (two starts), but has not factored in a decision. He has a 3.75 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 innings against the Rangers.
It’s uncertain if Boston closer Kenley Jansen will be available Friday. Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday, but Cora said Jansen tweaked something in his lower back. Boston’s training staff made a trip to the mound during that inning, but Jansen remained in the game.
“We’ll see how he feels on Friday,” Cora said.
Friday’s game will kick off a six-game homestand for Texas. After playing three games against Boston, the Rangers will face American League West rival Houston in a three-game series.
“They’re good clubs,” Bochy said. “We have to put some men on base and get the hits. It’s pretty simple.”
