ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Willson Contreras left the Boston's 4-3 win over Texas on Thursday night in the eighth inning after he was hit by a pitch on his right hand.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said the first baseman's hand was bruised with some swelling and X-rays were negative.
“We're going to take it day to day,” Tracy said.
Contreras was struck by a first-pitch sinker from Jakob Junis after Wilyer Abreu drew a leadoff walk with the Rangers leading 3-1. Contreras walked to first base in obvious pain, was examined by an athletic trainer and headed to the dugout.
Two batters later, Trevor Story hit a three-run home run off Jacob Latz.
Contreras was 1 for 3 with a single. He was hit by a pitch Wednesday night after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of Boston's 7-3 loss to the Rangers.
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Boston Red Sox's Willson Contreras drops his bat after being hit by a pitch thrown by Texas Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi in the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Trevor Story hit a three-run home run off All-Star closer Jacob Latz in the eighth inning, capping a comeback from a three-run deficit as the Boston Red Sox beat Texas 4-3 on Thursday night and dropped the Rangers out of the AL West lead.
Texas (76-77) had won four straight games to gain a share of the lead but dropped one game behind Houston (77-76), which holds the tiebreaker. The Rangers trail by two games for the last AL wild card.
Boston (83-70) has a five-game lead for the top AL wild card and improved to 8-59 when trailing after seven innings. Texas dropped to 63-2 when leading after seven innings.
Latz (3-3) entered after Wilyer Abreu walked starting the eighth and Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch from Jakob Junis.
Latz struck out Adley Rutschman and Story, who is from nearby Irving, reached down for Latz's second straight low curveball and drove the ball over the left-field wall for his fourth home run this season.
Boston’s Wyatt Olds (2-0) got three outs and Garrett Whitlock pitched the ninth for his fourth save in eight chances, getting Jake Burger to ground into a game-ending double play.
Josh Jung hit a first-inning homer off Sonny Gray, and Texas opened a 3-0 lead in the second on Danny Jansen's RBI single and Evan Carter's safety squeeze bunt.
Roman Anthony hit into a run-scoring forceout in the seventh.
Texas’ Cody Bradford followed a one-inning opener with 4 1/3 shutout innings, seeking his first major league since Sept. 18, 2024. He missed last season following elbow surgery.
Gray gave up three hits in 6 1/3 innings, throwing a season-high 102 pitches.
Red Sox: LHP Ranger Suarez (7-4, 3.33) will go against LHP Ian Seymour (9-6, 4.27) on Friday at Tampa Bay.
Rangers: RHP Kumar Rocker (5-11, 4.54) starts Friday against visiting Toronto and RHP Dylan Cease (11-5, 2.38).
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Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Latz throws to the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story, center, celebrates with the team after hitting a three-run home run in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
A fan attempts to reach a three-run home run ball hit by Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Boston Red Sox's Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2) and Trevor Story, right, celebrate Story's three-run home run in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story celebrates his three-run home run as he jogs past Texas Rangers' Ezequiel Duran (20) in the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
