Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz (L, 3-8) has struggled to begin his starts on the right foot thus far in 2016, and Sunday's loss to the Texas Rangers proved to be zero exception to that daunting trend. 

Clay Buchholz endures rough first inning

Rangers right fielder Shin-Soo Choo singled on the very first offering from the Texas native, and before you could even blink an eye, the subsequent five batters reached base for the victors, who finished off a series win over the Red Sox with a 6-2 triumph to increase their lead in the AL West to ten games over the second-place Houston Astros

Buchholz was unable to escape the first frame before three runs crossed the plate, bringing his ERA to a harrowing 5.90 while allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a disturbing five walks compared to three strikeouts in 5.1 innings. The 31-year-old scuffled with command in his second start since returning from the Red Sox bullpen, with a bevy of pitches hanging high in the strike zone in addition to offspeed offerings which left his hand in wayward fashion. 

Clay Buchholz is now just 3-8 with a 5.90 ERA in 2016. | AP
Clay Buchholz is now just 3-8 with a 5.90 ERA in 2016. | AP

Choo enjoyed a solid performance, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs, while third baseman Adrian Beltre went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run and second baseman Rougned Odor fared 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Rangers, who took two of three from Boston. 

Martin Perez impresses on mound for Texas

On the mound, Texas left-hander Martin Perez (W, 7-4) increased his winning streak to six games with six strong innings of work, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out a pair and walking two. Perez lowered his ERA to just 3.44 while inflicting frustration on a Red Sox lineup which has cooled down over the past two games after piling up 21 runs in their three previous outings. 

Right fielder Mookie Betts went 2-for-5 while designated hitter Bryce Brentz hit his first career home run for the Red Sox, who fell to four games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East for the first time since April 12. 

Rangers garner early lead, hold on for win

For Buchholz, it was trouble from the very beginning. After Choo reached to lead off the bottom of the first inning, Rangers center fielder Ian Desmond continued his hot streak with a single of his own, leading to consecutive RBI singles by left fielder Nomar Mazara and Beltre. Then, designated hitter Prince Fielder worked a walk to precede an RBI bloop single to left by Odor, putting the Red Sox in a 3-0 hole before a single out had even been recorded. 

Boston's inability to muster any offense against Perez compounded the matter. The Red Sox stranded a runner on third base in both the fourth and fifth innings while faring just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position on the afternoon. Their first run of the game did not arrive until the sixth inning, when Brentz touched Perez for a two-out solo shot to left field to cut the lead to 3-1. 

Despite the momentum shift, Buchholz allowed the gap to swell in the bottom half of the stanza. After a throwing error by shortstop Xander Bogaerts allowed Beltre to reach base to lead off the inning, Fielder ripped a 360-foot line drive home run to right field, his seventh long ball of the season, to increase the Rangers lead to 5-1. 

Then, with Red Sox reliever Heath Hembree dealing in the seventh inning, Choo smacked a one-out double to left before advancing to third on a passed ball by Boston catcher Sandy Leon and scoring on an RBI single by Beltre, his 46th RBI of the season. 

Shin-Soo Choo celebrates with teammates after crossing home plate in the seventh inning. | AP
Shin-Soo Choo celebrates with teammates after crossing home plate in the seventh inning. | AP

Pinch hitter David Ortiz concluded his career at Globe Life Park with an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning off of Rangers bullpen arm Jake Diekman, however, the production was of no avail to the Red Sox, who were retired in order by Texas reliever Shawn Tolleson in the ninth. 

Boston is now just 12-17 in their last 29 games, having lost five of their last seven heading into a critical three-game road set with the Tampa Bay Rays that begins on Monday night. 

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About the author
Liam OBrien
Just a Boston man who loves sports. Oh, and writing is kind of a priority.