Wilyer Abreu hit two home runs and matched his career high with four RBIs a day after his grandmother passed away, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 7-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Boston’s leadoff hitter Jarren Duran, who had three hits, hit a tiebreaking home run for the second time in less than three weeks at the Rangers’ home stadium.
The first of those tiebreaking home runs made Duran the MVP in the American League’s 5-3 win in the All-Star Game on July 16. The second one, a solo home run, was his 14th of the season and put Boston ahead 3-2 in the fifth inning.
Abreu learned about his grandmother’s death in Venezuela, and although his teammates and coaches knew she was ill, some were unaware of her passing until Abreu showed his emotions in the dugout after hitting his first home run.
“That’s when I was like, ‘What happened here?’” manager Alex Cora said. “I saw him crying and I was like, ‘Oh, it happened.’ We talked to him, ‘I’m good to go. I’m good to go.’ And was he good to go.”
Corey Seager hit a home run for the third time in the series for Texas — his 22nd of the season — and Josh Jung hit his first home run since returning from a three-month absence due to a broken right wrist.
These home runs gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead and were the only hits allowed by Nick Pivetta, who was taken one out shy of getting the win. The right-hander struck out five in 4 2/3 innings.
Rookie Cam Booser (2-2) pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings, as part of a group of four Boston relievers who retired 13 of the 14 Texas batters they faced.
“I think in that situation, it’s just where we were with matchups and how the bullpen is and how they have been,” Pivetta said. “This is a must-win series for us right now. I think it takes a team effort to win. I did my job, and they did their job.”
David Hamilton also hit a home run for Boston, his sixth of the season.
Abreu achieved his first career game with multiple home runs by hitting a tying solo shot in the fourth inning off Nathan Eovaldi.
