Rangers finally get to Boston's bullpen, 4-3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Hank Blalock's sacrifice fly ended a long scoreless streak by Boston relievers, and the Texas Rangers snapped the Red Sox's six-game winning streak with a 4-3 win in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday night.
Boston's bullpen had gone 321/3 consecutive scoreless innings over the previous 11 games. Blalock ended that by pushing home the tiebreaking run in a three-run seventh for the AL West-leading Rangers.
Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo hit Eric Young for the second time to start the seventh, then Mark Malaska (1-1) gave up a single to David Dellucci, the only batter he faced -- and the runner who Blalock drove home.
Young scored on a single by Gerald Laird, the first batter faced by Scott Williamson, to make it 2-2. Shortstop Pokey Reese made a leaping catch to snag Michael Young's hard liner, but Blalock followed with a deep flyball. Alfonso Soriano added an RBI double.
Arroyo held the Rangers, the best-hitting team in the majors, to just three hits in six-plus innings and struck out five. But he walked two and Eric Young scored both times after being hit.
Erasmo Ramirez (1-1), the second of four Texas pitchers, pitched a perfect seventh against Boston's 1-2-3 hitters. Francisco Cordero allowed an RBI double to Johnny Damon in the ninth before finishing for his eighth save in as many chances.
Second twinbill
The Red Sox played their second doubleheader in three days. They swept Tampa Bay at Fenway Park on Thursday before the opener of their three-game series at Texas was rained out Friday night.
Pedro Martinez, who says he will test the free-agent market after this season, was the Red Sox starter for the second game. The right-hander was supposed to pitch Saturday night, and Boston held him back to let Arroyo, Friday night's scheduled starter, pitch the first game.
Manager Terry Francona said Martinez's intentions wouldn't be a distraction "even for one minute" for the AL East-leading Red Sox. General manager Theo Epstein said the primary focus remains trying to build a team that can compete for and win a World Series.
The Red Sox took a 2-0 lead in the fourth after four hits and a walk -- from the bottom five batters in the order -- to start the inning. Kevin Millar was thrown out trying to stretch a single before Mark Bellhorn hit an RBI double and Pokey Reese a run-scoring single.
Those were the only runs given up by Texas starter Ryan Drese, who allowed seven hits and five walks in six innings. He also struck out five, including the first three of four strikeouts for Manny Ramirez in his only four plate appearances.
BOSTONTEXAS
abrhbiabrhbi
Damon cf4011MYong ss4001
Mueller 3b5000Blalock 3b2001
DOrtiz dh3010ASrano 2b4011
MRmrz lf4000Fllmer dh4010
Dubach 1b3110Mench rf4010
Millar rf4020Txeira 1b4000
Bllhorn 2b3121EYong lf2200
Mrbelli c1000Dllucci cf3120
McCty ph1110Laird c2111
Reese ss3011
Varitek ph1000
Totals32393Totals29464
Boston000200001--3
Texas00001030x--4
DP--Texas 3. LOB--Boston 8, Texas 6. 2B--Damon (6), Bellhorn (3), ASoriano (6). SF--Blalock.
IPHRERBBSO
Boston
Arroyo632225
Malaska L,1-1011100
Williamson221102
Texas
Drese672256
Ramirez W,1-1100000
Nelson100011
FCordero S,8121103
Arroyo pitched to 1 batter in the 7th, Malaska pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. HBP--by Arroyo (EYoung 2). Umpires--Home, Bruce Dreckman; First, Greg Gibson; Second, Larry Poncino; Third, Ramon Armendariz. T--2:51.
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