Rodriguez nibbled to begin the top of the first and struck out Delino DeShields Jr on a full count. Elvis Andrus grounded out to short on a 2-2 count before Nomar Mazara drew a full count walk. Adrian beltre lined out to right on a 2-2 count to end the inning. The Sox struck first in the bottom of the first although Mr. Mookie Betts lined out to left to begin. Andrew Benintendi looked at strike three but JD Martinez singled. Steve Pearce smashed a 2 run bomb to give the Sox the lead before Xander Bogaerts lined out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Rodriguez continued to nibble in the top of the second as Rougned Odor took a 2-2 strike three call to start. Jurickson Profar looked at strike three before Isiah Kiner drew a full count wall. Robinson Chirinos grounded out to third on a full count to end the inning. Rangers starter Mike Minor settled down in the bottom of the second inning as Mitch Moreland grounded out to second to begin. Eduardo Nunez popped up to second and Rafael Devers whiffed to end the inning.
Rodriguez finally cruised in the top of the third as Ryan Rua flied out to left to start. DeShields Jr lined out to second and Andrus grounded out to second to end the inning. The Sox threatened in the bottom of the third as Sandy Leon singled to start. Mr. Mookie popped up to first but Benintendi doubled Leon to third. Martinez flied out to shallow center and Pearce grounded out to short to end the inning.
Rodriguez ran into trouble in the top of the fourth although Mazara took a 2-2 strike three to start. Beltre singled but Odor also took strike three. Profar singled on a full count but Rodriguez got Kiner to fly out to left on a 2-2 count to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Bogaerts and Moreland lined out to center before Nunez popped up to short to end the inning.
Chrinos hit a routine ground ball to Devers to open the top of the fifth but Devers decided to throw his glove at the ball before doing a senton bomb on it for a bizarre error. Chirinos was erased on the force by Rua before DeShields lined out to short. Andrus flied out to center to end the inning. Devers compounded his error by striking out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth. Leon grounded out to third but Mr. Mookie smacked a ground rule double. Benintendi whiffed to end the inning.
Rodriguez came back for the top of the sixth and got Mazara to ground out to short on the first pitch. Beltre grounded back to the mound but Odor singled. Profar walked and Sox manager Alex "Dr Quick Hook" Cora decided Rodriguez had enough. He pitched arguably one of the worst shutouts in memory by going 2-2 and 3-2 on almost everyone in 5 2/3 innings but no runs were allowed. Heath Hembree punched out Kiner to end the inning just like that.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Martinez grounded out to third to begin. Pearce singled to chase Minor before Cory Gearrin came in to punch out Bogaerts. Moreland grounded out to second to end the inning.
Brandon Workman came in for the top of the seventh and ran into trouble when Chirinos tripled to open the frame. Joey Gallo pinch hit for Rua and Workman punched him out. DeShields grounded out to third but Chirinos couldn't move. Workman got out of it by getting Andrus to ground out to second to end the inning. The Sox failed to add insurance in the bottom of the seventh as Nunez grounded out to first to begin. Devers grounded out to second before Leon flied out to right to end the inning.
Joe Kelly came in for the top of the eighth and Mazara greeted him with a single. Kelly blew away Beltre and Odor watched strike three go by. Profar grounded into a force to end the inning. The Sox finally iced the game in the bottom of the eighth with Jesse Chavez on the mound. Mr. Mookie and Benintendi singled before Martinez crushed his 28th homer of the season to put the game out of reach. Pearce grounded out to short, Bogaerts whiffed and Moreland flied out to left to end the inning but it was 5-0 Sox.
Ryan Brasier made his Red Sox debut in the top of the ninth and Kiner lined out to right to start. Chirinos popped up to second and Gallo lined out to short to end the game. The Sox had shut out the Rangers 5-0.
Hero of the Night is JD Martinez. He scored the first run and drove in the final 3, outscoring the entire Rangers offense by himself.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Steve Pearce was 2 for 4 including a 2 run homer.
Sandy Leon was 1 for 3.
Eduardo Rodriguez got the win with 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball while striking out 5.
Heath Hembree got the final out of the 6th.
Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless 7th.
Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless 8th.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mitch Moreland was 0 for 4.
Eduardo Nunez was 0 for 3.
Rafael Devers was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
None.
Final Thoughts:
This was a pretty good win considering the bullpen's struggles lately. Rodriguez didn't look great but zero runs allowed is still zero runs allowed. Nice of Pearce, Benintendi, Betts and Martinez carry the offense considering the other five were a combined 1 for 18. Wins like these can keep a streak going and the Sox look unbeatable right now. It won't last but fans need to enjoy this run while they can. The Sox are actually approaching 2012's season win total and we're not even at the All-Star break yet. Would be unfair to expect them to win 13 in a row heading into it but still fun to think about. The win improved the Sox to 63-29, 2.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez goes for the Sox up against Yovani Gallardo looking to make it 8 in a row. The game begins at 7:11 PM at Fenway Park.
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