Langford's Dramatic Homer
Wyatt Langford's First-Pitch Homer Over Green Monster Leads Rangers Past Red Sox 6-4
Wyatt Langford crushed the very first pitch he saw over the Green Monster — and completely out of Fenway Park — as the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 6-4 on Sunday night. Associated Press reported that Kyle Higashioka then added a three-run home run in the second inning, giving Texas an early 4-0 lead they never surrendered.
The win saved the Rangers from a series sweep and moved their record to 35-36. Boston, now 29-39, has lost five of their last seven games and failed to earn their first home series sweep of the season.
Langford's First-Pitch Blast Sets the Tone
Red Sox starter Connelly Early never recovered from the opening moment. On pitch No. 1, Langford sent a ball over the 37-foot Green Monster and out of the ballpark entirely. Field Level Media noted it was the second straight start in which Early surrendered a first-pitch leadoff home run — a stunning stretch for the team's No. 3 prospect.
Early lasted just 4.2 innings, giving up 6 runs on 11 hits. His fastball topped out at only 93.3 mph during the Langford at-bat, well below his 97 mph peak earlier this season, according to Baseball America. He fell to 5-5 on the year with the worst start of his young career.
Eovaldi Dominates His Former Team in Boston
Nathan Eovaldi, a former Red Sox fan favorite, was sharp all night for Texas. He threw 7 strong innings, allowing just 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 6. The outing lifted him to 6-7 on the season. Reliever Jacob Latz then closed it out, recording the final four outs for his 11th save of the year, according to NBC Sports.
The Rangers finished with 13 hits as a team. Brandon Nimmo added a key two-run double in the fourth inning, and rookie Justin Foscue went 3-for-5. The offense performed all of this without star shortstop Corey Seager, who missed his third straight game with a mild concussion.
Contreras Fights Back but Red Sox Fall Short
Willson Contreras gave Boston something to cheer about. He went 3-for-4 with two solo home runs — one in the second inning and one in the sixth. CBS News reported that Contreras accounted for almost all of Boston's power on the night. Wilyer Abreu added an RBI single in the eighth to make it 6-4, but the Red Sox ran out of time.
The Red Sox are now in deep trouble. Manager Chad Tracy, who replaced the fired Alex Cora on April 25, has yet to spark a consistent winning streak. Boston entered the week 10 games under .500, and local media were blunt. 98.5 The Sports Hub called the performance another example of a team in freefall heading into a key divisional series against Toronto.
World Cup Fans and What Comes Next for Both Teams
Sunday's game had an unusual backdrop. Fenway hosted a Scottish Heritage Celebration Night, with members of the Tartan Army in the stands. The Scottish fans had traveled to New England for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Scotland beat Haiti at Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough just one day earlier. Chants of "No Scotland, no party!" rang out during the broadcast, according to Associated Press.
Texas heads home to face the Minnesota Twins next, with MacKenzie Gore set to start Monday. Langford, who returned just weeks ago from a six-week injury absence, went 3-for-5 in the finale and looks to be rounding into form. Boston faces Toronto at Fenway starting Tuesday in a critical divisional matchup. Seager's concussion recovery remains the top concern for the Rangers, with the star shortstop listed day-to-day.
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