BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his major league-leading 28th home run, Steve Pearce added a two-run shot and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched 5 2/3 innings on Monday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-0 victory over the Texas Rangers and their seventh straight win.
The Red Sox won for the 14th time in 17 games to end the day with their biggest lead over the Yankees in the AL East since April. Boston led New York, which lost the opener of a doubleheader in Baltimore, by three games pending the outcome of the nightcap.
Pearce, who was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays last month, lined a 3-2 pitch into the Monster Seats with two outs in the first inning to make it 2-0.