ARLINGTON, Texas — Mookie Betts hit his MLB-best 13th homer and Rick Porcello struck out eight in six innings while matching the AL lead with his fifth victory to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 5-1 on Friday night.
Rafael Devers hit two of the four solo homers off 44-year-old right-hander Bartolo Colon (1-1). J.D. Martinez also went deep for the Red Sox, whose 23-9 record is the best in the majors.
Betts homered for the fifth time in three games, putting Boston up 3-1 with his leadoff shot in the sixth. He has gone deep in each of the first two games at Texas after his three-homer game Wednesday at Fenway Park against Kansas City.
Nomar Mazara homered in his fourth consecutive game for Texas, a career-best streak for the 23-year-old slugger who has seven homers this season. That was the lone run, and one of only three hits off Porcello (5-0) in his six innings. Mazara also had a double.
After winning his first four starts, Porcello was coming off consecutive no-decisions in which he went at least seven innings both times. He won each of his first five starts in 2016 on way to 22 wins and the AL Cy Young Award.
Colon struck out four without a walk in seven innings with the only runs coming on the four homers. He threw 91 pitches, with only 22 balls while facing 26 batters.
The portly right-hander, who turns 45 on May 24, has 241 career wins, two short of matching Juan Marichal for the most by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic.
Martinez led off the second with a towering flyball that ricocheted off the top of the 14-foot wall in left and into the seats. Devers broke a 1-1 tie leading off the fifth, and homered again in the seventh.
NOTES: The Red Sox have won 26 consecutive games when scoring at least three runs for Porcello, a streak that dates back to 2016. In his last 37 starts receiving that much run support, Porcello is 31-0; the Red Sox are 36-1. … INF Brock Holt (left hamstring) will remain with the team through the weekend before a short rehab stint. He has been on the disabled list since April 27.
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