Aug 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) is congratulated after singling to center field to drive in the winning run against the Texas Rangers in the tenth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Rob Refsnyder singled to center field with the bases loaded in the 10th inning as the Boston Red Sox beat the visiting Texas Rangers 5-4 on Monday night.
Boston overcame the problems by leaving 15 runners on base, striking out 15 times and going just 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position to snap a four-game losing streak.
Refsnyder and Nick Sogard each had two hits and an RBI for Boston, helping Josh Winckowski (3-1) win after allowing an unearned run in the top of the 10th.
In the bottom of the inning, pinch-hitter Enmanuel Valdez led off the inning and hit a ground-rule double off Gerson Garabito (0-1) into the center-field triangle to score the tying run. Sogard singled to move Valdez to third. One out later, with Walter Penningon on the mound, New Hampshire native Mickey Gasper drew a pinch-hit walk in his major league debut to load the bases.
Masataka Yoshida’s groundout to second base caused a force out at the plate before Refsnyder pitched.
After both closers — Boston’s Kenley Jansen and Texas’ Kirby Yates — forced extra innings, the Rangers took a 4-3 lead on Josh Smith’s groundout off the mound that automatically scored runner Marcus Semien from third. Semien had advanced from second on Corey Seager’s groundout to second.
Seager was 2 for 4 with a two-run homer for Texas, which has lost five of its last six games.
Boston took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on Sogard’s sacrifice fly.
The Red Sox could have had more in the inning, but Semien made a diving catch at second base to rob Ceddanne Rafaela of an extra-base hit and limit the damage against Tyler Mahle to just one run.
An inning later, Semien tied the game with a single to center that scored Leody Taveras.
Boston took the lead without the benefit of a hit in its half of the fifth inning, when reliever Andrew Chafin issued four straight walks after Mahle walked and struck out two to start the inning. Pinch hitters Gonzalez and Danny Jansen were given free passes with the bases loaded to force in runs.
In the seventh, Seager tied the score at 3-3 when he greeted Red Sox reliever Bailey Horn with a first-pitch, two-run homer to deep right field. Jonah Heim had walked Zack Kelly leading off the inning.
The Rangers’ relievers had a strong showing down the stretch. David Robertson struck out three straight batters after Refsnyder’s single to lead off the seventh inning, and then Refsnyder struck out with the bases loaded against Yates to close the eighth.
Boston starter Brayan Bello allowed one run and four hits in six innings.
Mahle allowed two runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
–Field level media
