Chris Sale strikes out

12 Wednesday, as Red Sox win their ninth straight, beating Rangers 4-2 in the series finale.

Boston — Chris Sale struck out 12 in seven innings of shutout ball in his final start before the All-Star Game, and major league batting leader Mookie Betts had two more hits on Wednesday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to their ninth straight victory, 4-2 over the Texas Rangers.

Sale (10-4) allowed six hits and walked one to win his fifth straight decision and move the Red Sox 36 games above .500 for the first time since Bucky Dent homered into the net above the Green Monster in a one-game playoff to settle the 1978 AL East title.

Elvis Andrus had three hits for the Rangers, who struck out 18 times to lose for the fifth time in six games. Bartolo Colon (5-7) allowed four runs — three earned — on nine hits and two walks, striking out three in six innings.

J.D. Martinez had a pair of RBIs to pad his major league-leading total of 79. The Red Sox took a 4-0 lead into the eighth before Texas scored one off Heath Hembree and loaded the bases; Craig Kimbrel walked in a second run but then struck out Joey Gallo to end the inning.

He struck out the side in the ninth for his 28th save, and his 19th in a row.

Xander Bogaerts had three hits for the Red Sox, who have won 14 of 16 games. It’s the second nine-game winning streak for the Red Sox this season; they also won nine straight after losing on opening day.

No Benny

Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi finished second in the voting for the final spot on the AL All-Star roster, losing out to Seattle shortstop Jean Segura. Benintendi had two hits on Wednesday for his sixth straight multi-hit game. He also scored for the sixth game in a row but failed to double, ending a streak of five straight games.