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  Sunday, Aug. 20 8:05pm ET
Rangers' Davis pitches first complete game
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

BOSTON (AP) -- Doug Davis made a strong case for a spot in the Texas Rangers starting rotation.

Davis pitched a nine-hitter for his first career complete game as the Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox 6-2 Sunday night.

"He's the one guy I've been excited about since the start of spring training," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. "The guy is a big-league pitcher. He wants to start, and he may have furthered his cause tonight."

Bill Hasselman
The Rangers' Bill Haselman singles in the sixth inning of a 6-2 win over Boston.

Davis (5-4), making his sixth start, pitched more than six innings for the first time in 24 career appearances. He walked four and striking out five.

"Hopefully, I will be a starter," said Davis, who threw 141 pitches. "As long as I can go five or six innings and give us a chance to win, I don't know why I wouldn't be starting.

"Johnny Oates showed a lot of confidence in me after throwing 125 pitches through eight innings to let me go and finish the game in the ninth."

Davis struggled early, allowing the first three hitters to reach base. Jose Offerman opened with a single, Bernard Gilkey was hit by a pitch, and Carl Everett singled to extend his hitting streak to seven games. With the bases loaded, Davis struck out Nomar Garciaparra.

"I was thinking strike him out or get a double play," Davis said. "Just getting ahead of him is the key because, if you get behind, it's Nomar."

After the strikeout, Troy O'Leary grounded into a force at second and was almost doubled up, but first baseman Rafael Palmeiro couldn't handle the relay throw. Lou Merloni grounded out to end the scoring threat.

"We gave everything we had, it was just his night," Gilkey said. "Evidently, he did everything right."

Frank Catalanotto, 0-for-9 in the first three games of the series, gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead with a double in the fifth inning, and helped Texas avoid a sweep.

Boston dropped one game behind the Oakland Athletics in the AL Wild Card race. The Rangers won for only the third time in 11 games.

"We had lots of baserunners and lots of opportunities," Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "We just couldn't get those hit early."

Jeff Fassero (8-7) held the Rangers hitless until Palmeiro singled to lead off the fifth. Ricky Ledee and Royce Clayton followed with singles to load the bases, and Catalanotto hit his double. Scott Sheldon's sacrifice fly gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead.

Texas scored three more runs in the sixth. Rusty Greer led off with a triple, extending his hitting streak to six games. Gabe Kapler walked and Palmeiro followed with an RBI single, chasing Fassero.

Rod Beck relieved and surrendered a single to Bill Haselman to load the bases. Clayton walked home a run and Catalanotto's ground out scored Palmeiro to give Texas a 6-1 lead.

The loss was Fassero's first against the Rangers after five victories.

The Red Sox added a run in the eighth when Garciaparra scored on a passed ball.

Game notes
The Rangers have not dropped a four-game series to the Red Sox since July 10-13, 1975. ... Haselman has started 22 of 25 games behind the plate since Ivan Rodriguez was sidelined for the season July 24. ... Palmeiro entered the game on a 1-for-13 string, but went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. ... Gilkey extended his hitting streak to six games with a double in the third inning. ... The victory was the Rangers first against a left-handed starter since July 5.
 


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