ARLINGTON, Texas — Boston rookie starter Eduardo Rodriguez upstaged the return of Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton, as the Red Sox topped the Rangers 5-1 on Thursday night night at Globe Life Park.
Rodriguez, a highly-touted prospect, confounded Texas in his major league debut. The hard-throwing left-hander went 7 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up only three hits and striking out seven.
It was just the kind of performance the slumping Red Sox needed to begin the four-game set at Texas. Boston (22-26) had opened a seven-game road trip by getting swept in a three-game series at Minnesota.
The win also evened Boston’s record with Texas this season at 2-2.
The Rangers (23-25) dropped their second in a row after reaching .500 with a seven-game winning streak. Texas, coming off a 7-2 road trip, is 6-14 at home.
Boston got a home run from designated hitter Hanley Ramirez, who was filling in for David Ortiz, and broke the game open with three runs with two outs in the eighth.
Texas second baseman Adam Rosales helped the rally along by misjudging a ground ball by catcher Blake Swihart that led to two runs.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia and center fielder Mookie Betts both went 3-for-5 to lead Boston’s 13-hit attack. Swihart and Ramirez each had two hits.
Rangers starter Nick Martinez (4-1) lost for the first time in 10 starts this season. He did set a club record with his 16th consecutive start allowing three or fewer earned runs.
Hamilton played his first home game since being traded back to Texas in April and went 2-for-4, with an RBI single in the ninth. The former MVP turned villain while with the Angels enjoyed a standing ovation during his first at-bat and lined the first pitch he saw into the right-field corner for a double.
Texas designated hitter Prince Fielder, the AL batting leader coming into the game, went hitless in four trips to the plate.
Ramirez doubled Boston’s lead with a solo shot to open the sixth. It was Ramirez’s 11th homer of the season, but first since April 29.
Martinez hadn’t given up a homer to a right-handed hitter since last August.
The Red Sox got on the board first in the fifth inning after stringing three singles together against Rangers starter Nick Martinez.
Boston catcher Blake Swihart opened the inning with a hit and scored on center fielder Mookie Betts’ liner to left. Martinez coaxed an inning-ending double play to limit the damage to one run.
Hamilton drilled the first pitch he saw into the right-field corner for a double.
That was the only hit against Rodriguez through the first five innings. He allowed only one other baserunner during that stretch.
Earlier Thursday, the Red Sox placed outfielder Daniel Nava on the disabled list retroactive to Tuesday with a sprained left thumb.
The Red Sox’s move on Thursday came a day after they acquired outfielder Carlos Peguero in a deal with the Texas Rangers.
The 32-year-old Nava is struggling at the plate this season. In 27 games, he has a .159 batting average with no home runs. According to reports, the thumb injury has bothered him for a while.
Before this season, Nava was a solid contributor. In four previous seasons with the Red Sox, Nava had a career .273 batting average with 23 home runs and 162 RBIs.
Two years ago, Nava played in 134 games and batted .303 with 12 homers and 66 RBIs.
Orioles, White Sox split
BALTIMORE — Six different Orioles drove in a run and the Baltimore bullpen threw four scoreless innings in a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in the second game of a doubleheader on Thursday.
The teams split the two games after the White Sox posted a 3-2 victory in the opener.
Center fielder Adam Jones, first baseman Chris Davis, catcher Steve Clevenger, shortstop J.J. Hardy, right fielder Travis Snider and left fielder David Lough each contributed an RBI. The Orioles (22-24) scored the final four runs after the White Sox (21-25) took a 3-2 lead in the third inning.
Baltimore starter Mike Wright (2-0) didn’t fare as well as in his first two major league starts this month that ended without him allowing a run, but the right-hander battled through five innings for the win. He gave up three runs and six hits and left with a 4-3 lead.
Wright faced Chicago right-hander Chris Beck (0-1), who was making his major league debut. Beck gave up two runs in the first and third and but lasted through six, allowing five runs and 10 hits and getting the loss.
The Orioles took the lead for good with two runs in the third and added single runs in the sixth and seventh thanks to RBI singles from Snider and Lough, respectively, to go up 6-3.
That proved more than enough for the Orioles’ bullpen, which shut down the White Sox. Right-handers Oliver Drake (sixth), Brad Brach (seventh) and Darren O’Day (eighth) each threw a hitless inning.
Left-hander Zach Britton closed it out with his 13th save in the ninth. The relief pitchers retired the final 10 batters as the White Sox didn’t get a hit after the fifth.
The White Sox’s 3-2 victory in the first game of the doubleheader was part of an outstanding effort from starter Chris Sale. The left-hander struck out 12 in 7 2/3 scoreless innings.
The doubleheader was the makeup for the games postponed on April 27 and 28 because of rioting and unrest in Baltimore. The third game of the series was played in a closed Oriole Park without fans on April 29 and the Orioles posted an 8-2 victory.
The two rookie starters struggled in the early innings of the nightcap. Eaton began the game with home run off Wright, who had started his major league career with 14 1/3 scoreless innings in two starts.
Baltimore welcomed Beck to the majors with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Third baseman Manny Machado tripled on the right-hander’s first pitch and later scored on Jones’ groundout.
Davis gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead with an RBI double later in the inning.
First baseman Adam LaRoche put the White Sox in front 3-2 with a two-run homer to right in the third, but the Orioles answered with two in the bottom of the inning.
Catcher Steve Clevenger tied it with an RBI single to left and shortstop J.J. Hardy made it 4-3 one batter later with a single that third baseman Conor Gillaspie dived to knock down but couldn’t stop.