Rangers 5, Red Sox 3
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Derek Holland pitched the Texas Rangers to a 5-3 victory Wednesday night in the finale of a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Rangers Ballpark.
The American League West-leading Rangers (58-39) took two of three, while the Red Sox (49-50) are back under .500. Boston has lost five of its last six games.
Holland (7-5) pitched into the eighth inning and won his second game in three decisions since coming off the disabled list. The left-hander struck out seven and allowed five hits, but two were solo home runs.
Rangers closer Joe Nathan had a perfect ninth after being the losing pitcher the night before. Nathan has 20 saves in 21 chances.
The Red Sox tied the game at 3-3 on Dustin Pedroia's seventh home run of the season, only to watch Texas snag the lead back in the seventh on a wild pitch from Boston starter Josh Beckett.
Boston catcher Kelly Shoppach didn't have a chance on the pitch that came up well short and to the left side of the plate. Elvis Andrus scored easily to give the Rangers an advantage they would hold on to. Nelson Cruz added a solo shot to right-center in the eighth.
Beckett dropped to 5-9.
Two doubles, a sacrifice bunt a well-place pop gave Holland a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Michael Young and David Murphy had the doubles. Craig Gentry brought Murphy home with a suicide squeeze. Yorvit Torrealba, who singled after the Murphy double, scored as Boston a sliding right fielder Cody Ross couldn't hold on to Ian Kinsler's flare.
Boston scored in the top of the first, taking advantage of a leadoff walk to Jacoby Ellsbury. The center fielder eventually scored on a double-play ball from Dustin Pedroia.
The Red Sox added another run in the fourth on a solo home run to left from Will Middlebrooks.
The Rangers had runners on the corners with no one out in the third but were unable to capitalize. Beckett induced pop-ups by Kinsler and Adrian Beltre, sandwiched around a weak grounder by Elvis Andrus, to kill the threat.
NOTES: Texas slugger Josh Hamilton didn't have an issue with criticism of his play from Nolan Ryan. The team president said on a Dallas-area radio station that Hamilton has been giving at-bats away. "I understand why it frustrates him," Hamilton said. "I can't blame him for anything."... Boston leftfielder Carl Crawford remained seventh in the batting order. Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine doesn't have any plan to use Crawford at DH. "We've got to get Carl playing and into the swing of things," Valentine said. "It was thought of and negated."... Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre was back in the lineup after being drilled in the head Tuesday by Boston reliever Vincente Padilla. "I got up this morning and felt fine," said Padilla, who had to pass several tests before being cleared. Referring to Padilla's reputation as a headhunter, Beltre didn't think Padilla hit him on purpose.
