Abreu hits 2 home runs in season opener to power Red Sox past Rangers 5-2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Wilyer Abreu hit a three-run shot in the ninth inning for his second homer of the opener, powering the Boston Red Sox past the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Thursday.
Abreu had a part in every run for Boston. He singled and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder in the third. He homered in the fifth off Nathan Eovaldi and his game-winner was a 394-foot liner to right-center off new Rangers reliever Luke Jackson.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless eighth in his Red Sox debut for the win. Justin Slaten saved it with a perfect ninth.
Garrett Crochet struck out four, walked two and gave up two runs in five innings in his Red Sox debut. The 25-year-old was their youngest left-handed starter on opening day since Babe Ruth in 1918. Crochet started the opener last year for the White Sox, who traded him to Boston in December.
Eovaldi struck out nine without a walk, and allowed two runs in six innings. It was his second opening-day start in a row for Texas after starting three Boston openers from 2020-22.
Kevin Pillar, starting his 13th big league season with his 10th team, had an RBI single in his first at-bat for Texas in the second. He had a two-out single and scored on Kyle Higashioka’s double for a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Kristian Campbell, the 22-year-old Red Sox second baseman who made his big league debut, got his first hit on a sharp one-hopper right before Abreu’s second homer.
Eovaldi’s nine strikeouts matched the most by a Texas pitcher on opening day. The first five came when Red Sox batters swung and missed 76-78 mph curveballs.
Tanner Houck, an All-Star last season, starts for Boston in a matchup of first-round draft picks Friday night. Jack Leiter is set to go for the Rangers.
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