Rangers 7, Red Sox 0
ARLINGTON, Texas - Adrian Beltre's four hits were just two fewer than the entire Boston Red Sox team had on Friday night.
Beltre put an exclamation point on the Texas Rangers' 7-0 win over the Red Sox with a three-run double in the fourth to cap a five-run inning for the Rangers.
Texas (18-11), which had a season-low three hits on Thursday night against the White Sox, had a season-high 18 hits against Boston (20-9) in the series opener.
Beltre finished with the team's first four-hit game of the season, with three singles to go along with his fourth-inning double.
Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland each added three hits. Kinsler scored a run and had an RBI, while Moreland scored twice. Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz each finished with a pair of hits.
Texas finished with hits from eight of its starters and added one from pinch hitter Leonys Martin.
Derek Holland threw eight innings to pick up his second win of the season. Holland (2-2) gave up just two hits through the first five innings, allowing six hits overall with a season-high nine strikeouts and a walk.
The left-hander did not allow Boston to put a runner in scoring position for the first five innings. The Red Sox got a runner to second on back-to-back singles in the sixth.
A two-out rally opened the scoring for the Rangers in the second inning. Jeff Baker sent a 2-1 to left field for a double, and he went to third on a single by Moreland. Craig Gentry plated Baker on an infield single after beating the throw to first on a slow roller to short.
Texas continued to add hits following a single from Moreland in the fourth. Moreland scored two batters later on a single from Kinsler to begin a two-out rally. Lance Berkman followed up a single from Elvis Andrus with a walk to load the bases for Beltre. Beltre sent a 3-2 pitch to left-center field, bouncing to the wall, for a three-run double.
Moreland added his third hit of the game in the fifth, and, following a pinch-hit single from Martin, Moreland came in on a RBI double from Kinsler.
Red Sox starter Felix Doubront lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up six earned runs and 12 of the Rangers hits.
Mike Napoli's return to Texas was quiet despite a standing ovation from his former home crowd. The Red Sox first baseman was 0-for-4 in the contest, with a strikeout in his first plate appearance.
Notes: Kinsler extended his hitting streak to nine consecutive games... Shane Victorino returned to the Red Sox lineup after a seven-game absence due to back stiffness... Texas improved to 9-1 in series openers... The Red Sox and Rangers continue their three-game series on Saturday with John Lackey (1-1, 2.61) taking on Rangers starter Alexi Ogando (2-2, 3.38).
