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RECAP
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GAME LOG
BOSTON (AP) -- Doug Davis made a strong case for a spot in the
Texas Rangers starting rotation.
Davis pitched a nine-hitter for his first career complete game
as the Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 6-2 Sunday night.
"He's the one guy I've been excited about since the start of
spring training," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. "The guy is
a big-league pitcher. He wants to start, and he may have furthered
his cause tonight."
|  | | The Rangers' Bill Haselman singles in the sixth inning of a 6-2 win over Boston. |
Davis (5-4), making his sixth start, pitched more than six
innings for the first time in 24 career appearances. He walked four
and striking out five.
"Hopefully, I will be a starter," said Davis, who threw 141
pitches. "As long as I can go five or six innings and give us a
chance to win, I don't know why I wouldn't be starting.
"Johnny Oates showed a lot of confidence in me after throwing
125 pitches through eight innings to let me go and finish the game
in the ninth."
Davis struggled early, allowing the first three hitters to reach
base. Jose Offerman opened with a single, Bernard Gilkey was hit by
a pitch, and Carl Everett singled to extend his hitting streak to
seven games. With the bases loaded, Davis struck out Nomar
Garciaparra.
"I was thinking strike him out or get a double play," Davis
said. "Just getting ahead of him is the key because, if you get
behind, it's Nomar."
After the strikeout, Troy O'Leary grounded into a force at
second and was almost doubled up, but first baseman Rafael Palmeiro
couldn't handle the relay throw. Lou Merloni grounded out to end
the scoring threat.
"We gave everything we had, it was just his night," Gilkey
said. "Evidently, he did everything right."
Frank Catalanotto, 0-for-9 in the first three games of the
series, gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead with a double in the fifth
inning, and helped Texas avoid a sweep.
Boston dropped one game behind the Oakland Athletics in the AL
Wild Card race. The Rangers won for only the third time in 11
games.
"We had lots of baserunners and lots of opportunities," Red
Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "We just couldn't get those hit
early."
Jeff Fassero (8-7) held the Rangers hitless until Palmeiro
singled to lead off the fifth. Ricky Ledee and Royce Clayton
followed with singles to load the bases, and Catalanotto hit his
double. Scott Sheldon's sacrifice fly gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead.
Texas scored three more runs in the sixth. Rusty Greer led off
with a triple, extending his hitting streak to six games. Gabe
Kapler walked and Palmeiro followed with an RBI single, chasing
Fassero.
Rod Beck relieved and surrendered a single to Bill Haselman to
load the bases. Clayton walked home a run and Catalanotto's
ground out scored Palmeiro to give Texas a 6-1 lead.
The loss was Fassero's first against the Rangers after five
victories.
The Red Sox added a run in the eighth when Garciaparra scored on
a passed ball.
Game notes
The Rangers have not dropped a four-game series to the Red
Sox since July 10-13, 1975. ... Haselman has started 22 of 25
games behind the plate since Ivan Rodriguez was sidelined for the
season July 24. ... Palmeiro entered the game on a 1-for-13
string, but went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. ...
Gilkey extended his hitting streak to six games with a double in
the third inning. ... The victory was the Rangers first against a
left-handed starter since July 5.
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