Betts’ bases-loaded walk lifts Red Sox

BOSTON — Mookie Betts drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning, giving the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. Andrew Benintendi hit a triple and two doubles, driving in two runs for the Red Sox as they ended a three-game skid and avoided falling below .500 for the first time in more than a month.

Boston rallied against reliever Jesse Chavez (2-1) in the ninth after allowing the Rangers to tie it in the eighth on an unearned run.

Christian Vazquez, whose throwing error in the eighth put the tying run on third, led off the ninth with a ground-rule double to center. Jackie Bradley Jr. followed with a single and the Rangers walked Michael Chavis to load the bases for Betts, who fouled off the first pitch he saw from Chavez. The next four pitches were balls, and pinch-hitter Marco Hernandez trotted home.

The start of the game was moved up three hours to 4:05 p.m. to avoid overlapping with Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues. Chants of “We want the Cup!” rang out from the stands throughout the game.

Matt Barnes (3-1) pitched a scoreless ninth. Starter Rick Porcello was in position for the win until Texas tied it in the eighth.

Brandon Workman hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch and went to third when Vazquez fielded a bunt by Delino DeShields and threw wildly. Elvis Andrus tied it with a sacrifice fly to right.

The Rangers had three consecutive hits with two outs in the first, taking a 2-0 lead on Hunter Pence’s double to center, then went without a baserunner until the sixth. Porcello retired 13 straight batters before Andrus’ two-out double in the sixth.

Porcello allowed two runs on five hits in 6 2⁄3 innings.