BOSTON — When Nick Pivetta hobbled off the field with an injury to end the third inning, it looked like another blow that would derail another Red Sox night.
But unlike most nights during this fading Red Sox summer, they persevered — even if it was against an inferior team. The offense came alive for a second consecutive night, and called upon earlier than expected, the bullpen produced one of its best efforts of the season as the Red Sox ultimately overcame Pivetta’s injury and handled the Rangers easily with a 9-1 victory at Fenway Park.
It didn’t always look easy for the Red Sox on Friday night.
Pivetta, looking for a bounce-back start after being crushed by the Rays on Sunday, exited early under unfortunate circumstances. The right-hander was working through a difficult third inning when he had already given up a run and loaded the bases with a two-out walk to Jonah Heim.
Pivetta got out of the jam to keep it a 1-1 game, but was hurt in the process.
Leody Taveras followed by smoking Pivetta’s 1-2 change-up and hitting the pitcher in the left leg with a comebacker that came off the bat at 91.4 mph. Pivetta recovered to scoop up the ball and throw to first for the inning-ending out, but was in obvious pain. He limped off the field with assistance from teammates as he put no weight on the leg. He didn’t pitch again.
Pivetta, who’s been durable during his time with the Red Sox and was making his team-leading 27th start of the season, was later diagnosed with a left calf contusion.
But his teammates picked him up.
It took a few innings, but the Red Sox lineup finally got to struggling Rangers starter Dallas Keuchel, who’s with his third team this season and entered Friday with an 8.84 ERA in 12 starts. The Red Sox scored three times in both the fourth and fifth innings, engineered by the heart of the order and their hottest bats. Rafael Devers picked up where he left off in Thursday’s win with a single in the fourth before J.D. Martinez walked.
Kiké Hernández followed with a go-ahead RBI double before Christian Arroyo continued his hot run by hitting a bloop into center, where Taveras had trouble with it and let it drop for a two-run single to make it 4-1.
The Red Sox broke it open in the fifth, when they put up three runs with two outs as they chased Keuchel out. Xander Bogaerts walked, Devers scored him by crushing a double to right, and Martinez followed with an RBI single. Then, facing Rangers reliever A.J. Alexy, Trevor Story singled and Hernandez drove in another with a double to left to make it 7-1.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox bullpen — which has struggled mightily for most of the season — put up six zeroes in relief of Pivetta. Tyler Danish came on in the fourth, and he led a strong effort over six innings as the combination of him, Matt Strahm, Ryan Brasier, Kaleb Ort and Eduard Bazardo allowed just two hits and three baserunners to preserve the win.
Connor Wong, playing in his first major league game since July, hit his first career home run with a two-run shot that cleared the Monster in the seventh.
