Pence’s inside-the-park HR helps Rangers top Red Sox
Hunter Pence sprinted through his 14th homer of the season, although there was probably no need to hurry.
Pence hit a stand-up, inside-the-park home run and the Rangers beat Boston 9-5 Tuesday night at Fenway Park, capitalizing when the Red Sox unraveled after their manager and right fielder were ejected.
“Kind of just a weird incident to be a part of,” said Pence, whose fly to right in the sixth turned into a surprise two-run homer. “I’ve never done it, so now I have.”
Texas has won four of five, including Monday night’s 11-inning victory at Fenway.
The Red Sox lost their third straight loss and fifth in six games.
“Guys are frustrated. We try not to be, but games like tonight, it’s embarrassing,” said Brock Holt, who misplayed Pence’s homer. “We’re not playing well.”
Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts homered for the Red Sox, who dropped to 34-34 on a night filled with frustrations. Andrew Benintendi was ejected in the fifth, and manager Alex Cora also was tossed defending his outfielder.
Holt moved from left field to right in the sixth and couldn’t track down Pence’s fly at the short right-field wall. Holt fell onto the top of the wall and remained draped there while the ball rolled toward right-center. Betts, who moved from right to center, couldn’t get to the ball before Pence finished his dash around the bases. That put Texas up 9-3.
“I just took off running because I saw the ball,” Pence said. “I heard someone saying, ‘Slow down, slow down’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not slowing down until I see an umpire say something.’ ”
Braves 7, Pirates 5: In Atlanta, Brian McCann hit one of four Braves homers in the second inning and took Pittsburgh starter Chris Archer deep again with a tie-breaking, three-run shot in the sixth.