Bregman smacks career HR No. 200; Abreu has 3rd multihomer game -- all vs. Texas

BOSTON -- There’s a world in which Alex Bregman’s career homer No. 200 coming at Fenway Park wouldn’t be something celebrated by Red Sox fans.

Instead, Bregman’s milestone served as a sparkplug to a recently lifeless Red Sox offense in their 6-4 win over the Rangers on Wednesday to even the series.

After Boston scored just one run in the first 12 innings of this series, Bregman crushed a 2-2 splitter from Texas starter Tyler Mahle into the Green Monster to get the Red Sox on the board in the fourth. The solo blast was the first home run Mahle surrendered this season, and former Astro Bregman’s 19th against the Rangers in 135 career games.

Bregman delivered the winning hit in the seventh with an RBI single to score Connor Wong and Ceddanne Rafaela, falling a triple short of the cycle.

“I think I’ve been fortunate enough to play a kid’s game that I love,” Bregman said, “and been able to play at a high level for a long time now, and it’s due to a lot of people: Coaches, teammates, players, support staff in the training room and gym that help you stay on the field. And just thankful to still be playing this game and hope to play it for another 10 years. It’s cool, just glad it helped the team win to be honest.”

Wilyer Abreu, who homered twice against the Rangers on Opening Day, repeated the feat on Wednesday with a 422-foot game-tying homer to right-center off Mahle in the fourth and another solo shot in the eighth to give Boston a cushion. Abreu may be sad to see Texas go following Thursday’s series finale, as all three of his career multihomer games have come against the Rangers.

Abreu also tacked on a game-tying double in the sixth off lefty Hoby Milner to mark his first career game with three extra-base hits.

“I feel like the main key is the confidence,” Abreu said through interpreter Carlos Villoria-Benítez. “I feel like [manager] Alex [Cora] has given me the confidence to be able to hit against lefties. And obviously from last year to this year I feel like I’ve improved a lot.”

Before Bregman and Abreu gave Boston its lead and ensuing insurance runs, the air was nearly sucked out of Fenway Park after a nearly all-too-familiar collision at first that saw a run score before the call on the field was overturned in the sixth. Romy Gonzalez tripped over Rangers first baseman Josh Smith’s foot on the play at first as Abreu crossed the plate. Both Gonzalez and Smith remained down for a few minutes and trainers came out to check on Gonzalez before both players walked it off.

Gonzalez looked to be returning to the field in the top of the seventh but was replaced by Abraham Toro. With Triston Casas out for the year after stumbling over the first-base bag in Friday’s win over the Twins, Gonzalez has been getting the majority of reps at first base for the Red Sox. Cora said after the game that Gonzalez was removed with back tightness and they labeled the infielder as “day to day.”

The Fenway faithful could breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy the win that snapped a three-game losing streak just one day before the Red Sox head out for a two-city road trip against the Royals and Tigers ahead of hosting the Braves, Mets and Orioles.

“I think we just needed to stop the bleeding, to be honest with you,” Bregman said. “Obviously it’s still super early in the season, but obviously a lot of us haven’t played together, this is our first time playing together, so I feel like we’re figuring out our identity, we’re figuring out what it takes to win baseball games at this level. … [I] felt like we did a good job of stopping the bleeding today and now it’s time to win some baseball games. I came here to win, and that’s the one thing I’m focused on.”