– The Associated Press
BOSTON – Jackie Bradley Jr. hit his first career home run and finished with three RBI, and the Boston Red Sox set season highs for hits and runs in a 17-5 rout of the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
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Stephen Drew, Mike Carp and Jarrod Saltalamacchia also homered for the Red Sox, who scored at least one run in every inning through the first seven and hit for the cycle as a team in the second. The Red Sox finished with 19 hits, eight of them doubles.
It was an abundance of run support for Ryan Dempster (3-6), who ended a streak of five winless starts with his first victory in a month.
David Ortiz had three RBI, driving in one run with a double in the first and then a pair while legging out a rare triple during Boston’s six-run second. Carp also drove in three runs as the Red Sox ended a five-game losing streak against the Rangers.
Five of Boston’s six hits in the second were for extra bases and the Red Sox chased Justin Grimm (5-4) after 60 pitches. The Texas rookie allowed eight runs, all earned, in 12/3 innings in a forgettable Fenway Park debut.
Jeff Baker hit a two-run homer for Texas in the fourth and Nelson Cruz hit a solo shot out to straightaway center in the fifth — Dempster’s only mistakes against his former team. He allowed three runs on five hits over seven innings, striking out six with one walk.
The Red Sox had just set a season high with 18 hits Saturday in an 11-1 win at New York and topped that when Nava doubled in the eighth Tuesday.
Boston’s bats were alive early again Tuesday. Jose Iglesias led off the second with a double and scored on Bradley’s homer to right. Although he easily cleared the Texas bullpen, Bradley ran the bases the entire way and nearly caught Iglesias at home. Ortiz tripled to center with two men on and by the time Iglesias struck out in his second at-bat of the inning, Boston led 8-0.
Carp added a solo homer in the fifth, just out of Cruz’s reach as he tumbled over the right-field wall into the bullpen trying to make the catch. Cruz hit one over a much higher wall with his homer to center in the top of the sixth.
NOTES: Dempster had not won since improving to 2-2 on May 2 in a 3-1 win over Toronto. … Carp was ejected after being called out on strikes in the eighth. … Red Sox CF Jacoby Ellsbury missed his fourth straight game with tightness in his groin. Ellsbury did some running and took batting practice prior to the game, and Boston Manager John Farrell said he could return to the lineup Wednesday. WEDNESDAY’S GAME
WHO: Red Sox (Lackey 3-5) vs. Texas Rangers (Ogando 4-2)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
TELEVISION: NESN
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