Patrick Sandoval allows four runs in second, Red Sox lose opener to Rangers

Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald on Sep 15, 2026

Published in Baseball

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Patrick Sandoval has had a rocky month. Entering Tuesday the Red Sox left-hander had allowed a 6.12 ERA over his last five starts, but coming out of the gate Sandoval looked like he’d finally figured things out.

But after striking out the first four batters he faced, the wheels came off in the bottom of the second.

Sandoval allowed four runs over an interminable 44-pitch second inning and ultimately got the hook after recording just eight outs in Boston’s eventual 4-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.

Nick Sogard hit a two-run home run to help get the Red Sox back into the game, but the offense otherwise couldn’t get anything going against Jacob deGrom and the Rangers bullpen, squandering a pair of bases loaded opportunities in the fifth and eighth innings.

Sandoval started strong by striking out the side in the first inning, but after sending down Jake Burger to start the second everything ground to a screeching halt. The right-hander allowed a pair of singles, served up a two-run double to Elias Diaz, and then walked back-to-back batters to load the bases for five-time All-Star Corey Seager.

It appeared for a moment like Sandoval might minimize the damage when he drew a pop fly to shallow left, but the ball drifted into no-man’s land and Trevor Story couldn’t make the catch, allowing two more runs to score and putting the Rangers up 4-0.

Sandoval ultimately needed 44 pitches to get through the second, blowing up his pitch count and ensuring a long evening for the Red Sox bullpen. He recorded two outs in the third and was lifted for Brayan Bello after allowing four runs over 2 2/3 innings.

Four runs matches the largest deficit the Red Sox have overcome in a win this season, but the club didn’t need long to cut it in half. After Caleb Durbin reached on a one-out single in the top of the third, Sogard ripped a line drive off deGrom that cleared the right-field fence for a two-run home run.

It was the fifth home run of the season for Sogard, all of which have come since Aug. 19. Prior to that the 29-year-old had never hit a homer over his first three seasons as a big leaguer.

That wound up being as close as Boston got.

The Red Sox could have tied the score or taken the lead with one swing in the fifth inning, but despite loading the bases without recording a hit the club couldn’t get a run across. Jarren Duran was hit by a pitch, Durbin reached on catcher’s interference and Mickey Gasper walked to bring up Adley Rutschman with two outs, but the catcher grounded out to short to keep it a 4-2 game.

Boston’s bullpen did its part to keep the Red Sox in the game. Bello tossed 1 2/3 perfect innings, Alec Gamboa threw one scoreless aided in large part by a brilliant double play turned by Sogard to end the fifth, and Wyatt Olds worked his way out of a runners-at-the-corners, two-out jam to escape the sixth. Jovani Moran entered with a man on in the seventh and got three quick outs, setting the table for one last Red Sox push in the eighth.

Jahmai Jones sparked the rally with a leadoff single, Willson Contreras drew a one-out walk, and after Wilyer Abreu grounded out to move the two runners into scoring position Story was intentionally walked to load the bases again.

Rather than have Duran face left-hander Jacob Latz, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy pinch hit Andruw Monasterio, but the move didn’t pay off. Monasterio worked a full count but struck out to leave them loaded again.

Boston went quietly in the top of the ninth, finishing the game 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position while stranding nine men on base.

Magic number still 5

In addition to keeping pace in the AL West race, the Rangers also jumped the Toronto Blue Jays to become the first team below the AL wild-card cutline. As a result the Red Sox’s magic number remains five despite the Blue Jays’ 10-1 loss earlier in the night.

Boston can clinch a playoff berth as early as Friday, and depending on how things play out in the AL Central the Red Sox could lock down the second wild-card spot as soon as this weekend.

Houck scoreless with WooSox

Tanner Houck (Tommy John surgery rehab) tossed a scoreless inning of relief in his latest rehab appearance with the WooSox on Tuesday. The right-hander entered the game in the seventh inning and allowed one walk, no hits and struck out three over 22 pitches.