By DOUG ALDEN
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) - Mookie Betts drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning, giving the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

Andrew Benintendi hit a triple and two doubles, driving in two runs for the Red Sox as they ended a three-game skid and avoided falling below .500 for the first time in more than a month.

Boston rallied against reliever Jesse Chavez (2-1) in the ninth after allowing the Rangers to tie it in the eighth on an unearned run.

Christian Vázquez, whose throwing error in the eighth put the tying run on third, led off the ninth with a ground-rule double to center. Jackie Bradley Jr. followed with a single and the Rangers walked Michael Chavis to load the bases for Betts, who fouled off the first pitch he saw from Chavez. The next four pitches were balls, and pinch-hitter Marco Hernández trotted home.

The start of the game was moved up three hours to 4:05 p.m. to avoid overlapping with Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues. Chants of "We want the Cup!" rang out from the stands throughout the game.

Matt Barnes (3-1) pitched a scoreless ninth. Starter Rick Porcello was in position for the win until Texas tied it in the eighth.

Brandon Workman hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch and went to third when Vázquez fielded a bunt by Delino DeShields and threw wildly. Elvis Andrus tied it with a sacrifice fly to right.

The Rangers had three consecutive hits with two outs in the first, taking a 2-0 lead on Hunter Pence's double to center, then went without a baserunner until the sixth. Porcello retired 13 straight batters before Andrus' two-out double in the sixth.

Porcello allowed two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Benintendi, ejected Tuesday night for shouting at umpire Angel Hernandez about a called strike, doubled and scored in the first. He hit an RBI triple in the third, tying it at 2-2, and drove in a run with a double in the fifth.

Starter Lance Lynn worked six innings for the Rangers, allowing three runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out eight.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers: LHP Drew Smyly will miss his scheduled start on Friday when Texas visits Cincinnati. Manager Chris Woodward said he wanted to take some pressure off Smyly, who has struggled in his last two starts and will be available in the bullpen. ... LF Willie Calhoun (quadriceps strain) will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Thursday. ... 1B Ronald Guzmán needed few minutes after a sharp grounder caught him on the wrist in the second inning.

Red Sox: RHP Hector Velázquez (back) will start a rehab assignment Thursday or Friday, manager Alex Cora said. Velázquez has been on the injured list since May 30 ... LHP Brian Johnson (left elbow inflammation) will travel with the club this weekend for a three-game series at Baltimore. Johnson, on the injured list since April 6, could pitch some relief or possibly start Sunday, Cora said.

UP NEXT

RHP Adrian Sampson (5-3, 3.72 ERA) starts the series finale for the Rangers on Thursday against Boston LHP David Price (4-2. 2.70).

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