Boston, MA – Aaron Cook pitched seven sparkling innings, and Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez each drove in three runs in Boston's 9-2 triumph over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.
Cook (3-5) scattered six hits and gave up a run to snap a four-decision skid. The right-hander, who was winless in his previous five starts, posted his first victory since a two-hit shutout June 29 at Seattle.
Dustin Pedroia hit three of Boston's eight doubles and had an RBI to cap a three-run fourth inning, as the Red Sox posted their second straight win following a four-game slide. Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-for-5 and scored three times in the opener of this three-game series.
"Consistent at-bats are what we're getting these days. These guys are world class players and they're playing very well now," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said.
Yu Darvish (11-8) surrendered a career-high 11 hits along with six runs over 6 2/3 innings, while recording nine strikeouts. Darvish, facing the Red Sox for the first time, walked four batters.
"We just have to keep working and get him back on track," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He's better than what he's shown. We certainly don't want to see him go backwards. He's just got to keep battling. We're not going to let him quit. He'll get it together."
David Murphy singled in Nelson Cruz in the second inning and Adrian Beltre homered off Junichi Tazawa in the ninth, but the Rangers dropped their second in a row on the heels of a four-game winning streak.
Cruz doubled to start the second, and Murphy followed with a line single to center.
Mike Aviles grounded out to leave a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the second, but the Red Sox scored twice in the third. Ellsbury and Crawford doubled to start the frame, and one out later Gonzalez laced a two- bagger down the right field line for a 2-1 edge.
Ellsbury stroked an RBI double to left in the fourth and Crawford followed with a sacrifice fly to center. The throw home was on line from Josh Hamilton, but catcher Mike Napoli couldn't corral the ball on the second bounce. Pedroia then scraped a ball high off the Green Monster for another double, resulting in a 5-1 margin.
Gonzalez singled in Pedroia in the seventh and the Red Sox added three more runs in the eighth on an RBI double from Crawford, single from Gonzalez and sacrifice fly from Cody Ross.
Game Notes
Darvish needs one victory to tie the club record for wins by a Rangers rookie in a season: Ed Correa (1986), Kevin Brown (1989), and Chris Young (2005)...Texas holds a 4-2 lead in the season series...Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with men in scoring position Monday. He paces the majors with a .418 average with runners in scoring position this season.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.