ARLINGTON, Texas – Mike Aviles blooped a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 2-1 Tuesday night, ending a four-game losing streak.
Red Sox reliever Vicente Padilla (4-0) escaped a first-and-third jam in the eighth. He hit Adrian Beltre in the helmet with a pitch, leaving the Texas star with a bruise on his head.
Rangers closer Joe Nathan issued a pair of two-out walks in the ninth and Aviles singled just beyond the reach of shortstop Elvis Andrus.
The Rangers had a prime scoring opportunity in the eighth inning. Andrus beat out a single and made it to third on an unusual two-base throwing error by Padilla.
Padilla threw to first in an attempt to pick off Andrus, got the return throw from first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, then almost immediately threw back to Gonzalez, who wasn't expecting it and the ball rolled to the wall.
With two outs, Padilla hit Beltre, knocking his helmet off and sending him to the ground. After Beltre left the game, Michael Young grounded out to end the inning.
Alfredo Aceves notched his 21st save of the season. Nathan (1-3) took the loss.
Cody Ross scored for Boston in the fourth when he walked and Kelly Shoppach doubled on a drive that right fielder David Murphy misplayed at the warning track.
The Rangers had a player hit a double for the third consecutive inning in the sixth when Andrus doubled with one out. Andrus went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a slow groundout by Josh Hamilton.
Boston starter Clay Buchholz gave up only four hits in seven innings.
Martin Perez, called up from Triple-A Round Rock on Monday after starter Colby Lewis was put on the disabled list for season-ending surgery, pitched six innings, giving up five hits.
NOTES: Rangers pitcher Neftali Feliz, put on the 60-day DL on May 21 because of inflammation in his right elbow, started Tuesday for Round Rock against Albuquerque. Feliz threw three innings, giving up one hit and no runs while walking one and striking out three. He is expected to make one more start for Round Rock before returning to the Rangers. ... Boston LF Carl Crawford was moved down to seventh in the batting order for the game, a move manager Bobby Valentine made since Crawford had only had 14 at-bats against left-handers this season. Crawford, who spent the first 3½ months of the season on the DL following surgery on his left wrist, batted second his first seven games. Crawford went 0 for 3 with a strikeout and was replaced by Daniel Nava in the bottom of the seventh.
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