ARLINGTON, Texas — Pinch hitter Josh Hamilton lined a two-run double to left-center with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Texas Rangers to a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Hamilton’s liner off Koji Uehara scored second baseman Hanser Alberto from third, and designated hitter Prince Fielder motored in from first.
The win moved the Rangers over the .500 mark for the first time since last June 6.
Hamilton had started the first six games since returning to Texas but was left out of Sunday’s starting lineup by manager Jeff Banister, who was ejected in the top of the ninth for arguing a call at second base.
Texas trailed 3-2 before Alberto opened the ninth inning by reaching on an error by Boston third baseman Pablo Sandoval. A sacrifice bunt and a groundout got Alberto to third before Fielder was intentionally walked. That set the stage for Hamilton.
“I should have got that ball,” Sandoval said. “I tried getting on top of that … (but got) a bad hop. You try to keep your head on. It’s difficult, but you have to keep your head on, you have to keep fighting through tough moments, and the good moments are coming.”
Boston had taken a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning on an RBI single from Xander Bogaerts, who had three of Boston’s 11 hits.
It was a costly win for the Rangers though.
Third baseman Adrian Beltre had the first two Texas RBIs, but he left after five innings after spraining his left thumb on a slide at second base. He also suffered a laceration on the thumb and will miss at least two weeks.
Before Texas’ ninth-inning rally, Boston right-hander Joe Kelly was in line for his first win since April 11 after allowing two runs over five innings.
Texas right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, the fifth Texas pitcher, picked up the win by pitching a scoreless ninth.
“I thought we had a number of good at-bats today,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “Granted, we left a high number of men on base (10). Where we had a chance to spread things open a bit, that wasn’t there. Still, we went into the ninth with two outs still with the lead.”
On Saturday night, the bottom of the Rangers’ lineup accounted for six RBIs in an 8-0 win over the Red Sox as right-hander Alex Gonzalez was victorious in his major league debut.
Gonzalez (1-0), who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, did not give up a run while allowing two hits and issuing five walks over 5 2/3 innings.
Center fielder Leonys Martin, the No. 7 hitter, was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. No. 8 hitter Robinson Chirinos had a two-run double in a four-run fourth and second baseman Hanser Alberto, the No. 9, added two RBIs.
Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus had a two-run double in the first.
Rangers leadoff hitter DeLino DeShields was 3-for-5 in the Rangers’ 13-hit attack. First baseman Adam Rosales was 4-for-4.
Boston left-hander Wade Miley (4-5) suffered the loss after giving up six runs (five earned) on nine hits and two walks.
Right-hander Tanner Scheppers and left-handers Sam Freeman and Alex Claudio pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for Texas (25-25).
Designated hitter David Ortiz was 2-for-4 for Boston (22-28). He played for the first time after two days off.
First baseman Mike Napoli’s double to right was Boston’s first hit off Gonzalez, who left with two outs in the sixth and a 6-0 lead.
NOTES: The Red Sox optioned LHP Robbie Ross to Triple-A Pawtucket. Boston re-signed INF Jeff Bianchi, who was designated for assignment Thursday.