Boston Red Sox 2, Texas Rangers 1

Rangers offense disappears in disappointing loss.

ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers' slumping offense was on full display Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, losing 2-1 to the Boston Red Sox. The loss dropped Texas to 57-39, four and a half games ahead of the LA Angels for first place in the AL West. Boston improved to 49-49.

Photo not provided by the Texas Rangers

On the plus side, Josh Hamilton is getting more and more affordable every game.

With the score tied at 1-1 heading into the top of the ninth, Rangers closer Joe Nathan got two quick outs, then issued two walks to the bottom of the Red Sox's order. Finally, light-hitting #9 hitter Mike Aviles singled in a run to make it 2-1, dropping Nathan to 1-3 on the season.

Texas' offense was once again terrible, amassing just five hits and four walks. Three of the four walks came from Mike Napoli, who seems intent on battling his summer-long slump, while four of the five hits came from Elvis Andrus and David Murphy, who also drew the other walk. Josh Hamilton, whose record-setting pace in the first two months has been tempered by one of the worst hitting performances in all of baseball the last two months, went 0-for-4 with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the sixth that scored Andrus for Texas' only run.

Red Sox starter Clay Bucholz was excellent against the moribund Rangers lineup, allowing just the one run over seven innings. Former Ranger Vicente Padilla was credited with the win, despite nearly losing the game after his throwing error allowed Andrus to advance from first to third, then hitting Adrian Beltre in the head with a pitch to put runners at the corners. Unfortunately for Texas, Michael Young ended the threat with a harmless groundout.

Rangers rookie starter Martin Perez pitched his best game as a Ranger, giving up one run on five hits over six innings. Perez walked two and struck out one.