Hunter Pence on Tuesday sprinted through his 14th homer of the season, although there was probably no need to hurry. Pence hit a stand-up, inside-the-park home run as the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 9-5, capitalizing when the Red Sox unraveled after their manager and right fielder were ejected.
“Kind of just a weird incident to be a part of,” said Pence, whose fly ball to right field in the sixth inning turned into a surprise two-run homer. “I’ve never done it, so now I have. It’s a good feeling.”
Texas have won four of five, including Monday’s extra-innings victory at Fenway Park.
Photo: AP
The Red Sox had their third straight loss and fifth in six games.
“Guys are frustrated. We try not to be, but games like tonight, it’s embarrassing,” said Brock Holt, who misplayed Pence’s homer. “We’re not playing well. We’re not playing up to our capabilities and that’s the frustrating part.”
Ariel Jurado (4-2) struck out six while pitching six innings of three-run ball, while Pence, Asdrubal Cabrera and Ronald Guzman each had two RBIs for the Rangers.
Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts homered for the Red Sox, who dropped to 34-34 on a night filled with frustrations.
Andrew Benintendi was ejected in the fifth and manager Alex Cora was also tossed defending his outfielder.
With Benintendi banished to the clubhouse, Pence took advantage of a realigned outfield.
Holt moved from left field to right field in the sixth inning and could not track down Pence’s fly ball at the short right-field wall.
Holt fell onto the top of the wall and remained draped there, while the ball rolled slowly toward right-center field. Betts, who moved from right field to center field, could not get to the ball before Pence finished his dash around the bases. That put Texas up 9-3.
“I was watching it probably a little too long because I was like awkwardly around first base, so then I just took off running because I saw the ball,” Pence said. “I heard someone saying: ‘Slow down, slow down’ and I’m like: ‘I’m not slowing down until I see an umpire say something.’”
Cabrera followed Pence with a line drive to left field and tried to stretch it to a double, sliding in and initially being called safe before second-base umpire Jordan Baker quickly reversed his own call.
That brought Texas manager Chris Woodward storming out of the dugout. He went straight for plate umpire Angel Hernandez and shouted in his face until he got tossed ---- the first ejection of his managing career.
Woodward said that he was upset because he was considering challenging the call and was not told when he had run out of time.
“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.”
Also on Tuesday, it was:
‧ Braves 7, Pirates 5 (8 innings)
‧ Indians 2, Reds 1 (10 innings)
‧ Angels 5, Dodgers 3
‧ Astros 10, Brewers 8
‧ Yankees 12, Mets 5 (Game 1)
‧ Mets 10, Yankees 4 (Game 2)
‧ Cardinals 7, Marlins 1
‧ Twins 6, Mariners 5
‧ Orioles 4, Blue Jays 2
‧ Giants 6, Padres 5
‧ Phillies 7, Diamondbacks 4
‧ Rockies 10, Cubs 3
‧ A’s 4, Rays 3
‧ White Sox 7, Nationals 5
‧ Royals 3, Tigers 2
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