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Red Sox 10, Rangers 0 -- Sox complete a Texas roundup

07:53 AM EDT on Friday, August 15, 2008

By PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writer

The Red Sox’ David Ortiz watches the flight of his three-run homer in the second inning. Catching for the Rangers is Jarrod Saltalamacchia.


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providence Journal / Gretchen Ertl

BOSTON — David Ortiz is playing at less than 100 percent and the numbers reflect it. He is not having as big a season for the Red Sox as he has had in the past.

But don’t expect the Texas Rangers to feel sorry for him.

Big Papi continued to use the Rangers as his personal stat-stuffers last night. But then again, he wasn’t alone. The Texas pitching staff has helped many of the Sox pad their offensive numbers.

Boston routed Texas, 10-0, completing a seven-game sweep of the Rangers in Fenway this season. Boston piled up 67 runs in the seven victories and hit .357. The Sox scored 38 runs in this three-game sweep, the most in a series since putting up 45 against the Marlins June 27-29, 2003.

Ortiz was the guy who did the most damage.

In this one, he clouted a three-run homer into the first row of seats in the right-field grandstands to highlight a nine-run second inning. In the seven games against Texas, Ortiz has piled up a hard-to-believe 20 runs batted in (of the 62 he has on the season).

The hitting made it a fun night for Daisuke Matsuzaka. The right-hander ran his record to 14-2 with seven innings of what has become a typical outing. He allowed baserunners, with six hits and five walks, but he never allowed a hit with runners in scoring position.

“Dice had to battle a little bit early with his feel and his command,” Sox catcher Jason Varitek said. “As the game rolled on, he had to battle it back and forth. But he was able to find ways to make pitches.”

Said manager Terry Francona, “I don’t think he commanded quite as well as he did the other night (in an eight-inning effort in a win over the White Sox). But he has a knack for it. He doesn’t give in where there are runners on. He executes pitches.”

The Sox hitters did some executing, too.

Boston had a season-high eight hits in the second inning as it belted rookie Tommy Hunter around and turned the game into a laugher. With injury problems and some hitters slumping a bit, the Sox are going to need all the offense they can muster down the stretch, regardless of which pitching staff they will be facing. Having Ortiz to lead the way will be vital.

The slugger has been battling health issues all season, including time on the disabled list because of wrist problems. On the last road trip, in Kansas City, he received a scare when he reported hearing a “click” in the wrist on a swing. The Sox were concerned enough that Ortiz was given a day off Monday in Chicago, on the final game of the trip.

“We may have to do that from time to time; that’s the reality of what has happened,” Francona said of resting Ortiz. “That’s not the end of the world. If we can’t sit him every 10 days or so, then we’re probably not good enough.”

Ortiz, as has become his custom lately, opted not to talk with reporters after the game.

“He’ll be fine. He’ll be who he is,” said Dustin Pedroia, who had two more hits last night and is now challenging for the league batting lead. “But we’re not a one-man team. We need all of us to accomplish our goals.”

While the Sox get to play the Rangers again next month in Texas, the work by Ortiz is a great sign for the Sox.

The second inning was Boston’s second-highest scoring run of the season — to the 10 runs the Sox scored in the series opener against the Rangers. It started innocently enough. Kevin Youkilis singled and, with one out, Jed Lowrie singled. Hunter, who is billed as a control pitcher, walked Varitek to load the bases.

Coco Crisp blooped a single to left to score the first run. Alex Cora was hit by a pitch to bring in the second, and J.D. Drew bounced fielder’s choice grounder to second to get the third run home.

Pedroia lined a double to make it 4-0. Ortiz then ripped a 1-0 pitch into the first row of seats in the grandstands in right for a three-run homer, his 17th blast of the season.

That made it 7-0, but it was not over. Youkilis doubled high off the wall and Jason Bay then lined a shot to left. Frank Catalanotto got his glove on it as he raced toward the line but could not hold on. It went as a single and RBI as Youkilis scored with Boston’s eighth run. Lowrie followed with a double that scored Bay with the ninth run of the inning. Texas pitchers Hunter and Warner Madrigal threw 51 pitches in the inning.

pkenyon@projo.com

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