Red Sox Give Rangers the Lowe Down

Derek Lowe was nearly unhittable.

Lowe gave up two hits in seven innings to become the AL’s second 15-game winner as the Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers, 13-0, Friday night.

“He’s spoiled us a lot this year,” Boston Manager Grady Little said. “You have to bring your A-game against [the Rangers], and Derek certainly had his tonight. It was fun to watch.”

Trot Nixon hit a three-run homer and a two-run shot, tying his career high with five runs batted in. Brian Daubach also had a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who recovered from a 19-7 loss to Texas on Thursday night.

The Rangers, who scored 36 runs the previous two days, were held hitless until the fifth. Lowe (15-5) struck out four and walked one, stretching his scoreless streak to 24 innings.

“It was a big game,” Lowe said. “After last night, we wanted to put up as many zeros as we could early. I mixed my sinker in and out. It’s been a phenomenal year so far. I can’t say I expected this, but all the hard work has paid off.”

Oakland’s Barry Zito was the first AL pitcher to win 15 games. Johnny Damon also homered for Boston.

Lowe retired 14 of the first 15 Rangers--Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch with two outs in the fourth. The right-hander got 10 on grounders before Carl Everett’s two-out single in the fifth. Lowe finished with 14 groundball outs and lowered his league-leading earned-run average to 2.13.

“He was very efficient,” Ranger Manager Jerry Narron said. “He kept the ball down and had a great sinker. He was in control. We faced a great pitcher tonight.”

Alan Embree and Bob Howry each pitched a scoreless inning to finish the three-hitter, Boston’s major league-leading 15th shutout.

Texas has been blanked six times this year. The Rangers had gone 213 home games since they were shut out, a stretch dating to April 8, 2000, when they were blanked by Toronto’s David Wells.

“You know to look for pitches that are up, but his are always down,” the Rangers’ Frank Catalanotto said of Lowe. “That’s why he gets so many groundball outs and why he’s having the year he’s having.”