The Red Sox Shut Down the Rangers' Offense to Take Series

Boston continues its push for the AL East crown by taking two of three from Texas. John Tudor and Roger Clemens hand the Red Sox shutout wins in the first two games, but Boston runs into Texas ace Frank Tanana in Game Three.

Game One: Bos 3, Tex 0

W: Tudor (2-2)
L: Darwin (0-1)
S: Aponte (1)

Crafty lefty John Tudor pitches no-run ball for 7.1 innings, outdueling Texas's Danny Darwin, who only allows five Boston hits. Jim Rice smacks an RBI double, and Rich Gedman scores after lining a double to right for the main scoring. Relievers Lee Smith and Bob Aponte keep Texas from challenging, although the Rangers do threaten with two on in the eighth but can't bring them home.

Game Two: Bos 7, Tex 0
W: Clemens (5-0)
L: Hough (4-2)

Roger Clemens fires rockets at the Rangers hitters, striking out nine in 7.2 innings to add to his league leading K totals.  The game is close going into the ninth, with Boston up 3-0 on homers from Rick Miller and Wade Boggs and an RBI walk from a wild Charlie Hough. But then the Red Sox explode for four more, capped by Dwight Evans' eighth homer. Evans leads the AL with 28 RBIs.

Game Three: Tex 3, Bos 1
W: Tanana (5-1)
L: Hurst (2-1)
S: Kern (5)

Frank Tanana continues his league mastery with his fifth win, lowering his ERA to 1.18 in the process with eight innings of one-run ball. The Rangers finally score a few runs, plating two off Bruce Hurst in the fourth with RBI singles from Buddy Bell and Gary Ward and another an inning later on a throwing error from Boston SS Marty Barrett. Jim Kern gets his fifth save, while Hurst suffers his first loss.