Sox rock Rangers to finish off sweep

Red Sox 8, Rangers 3

MLB. The Sox appeared to have a struggle on their hands when former Boston lefty Kason Gabbard took the mound yesterday morning for the annual Patriots Day contest at a sun-splashed Fenway.

After all, in five career starts on Yawkey Way, Gabbard was a perfect 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA and batters were hitting just .162 against him.

That trend continued in the opening frame when Gabbard set down the Sox in order. But fate intervened while facing Kevin Youkilis opening the second. The southpaw’s left foot slipped as he tried to plant himself on the pitching rubber during the at-bat, forcing him out with back stiffness.

The Red Sox got to Gabbard’s replacement, Dustin Nippert, scoring five runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth as Boston, behind four hits from Julio Lugo, enjoyed an 8-3 laugher over the Rangers on Marathon Monday.

The A.L. East-leading Red Sox took advantage of 11 walks by four Texas pitchers, sweeping the four-game series. Boston, in moving to 14-7, won its fifth straight and ninth in 10 games.

“We didn’t get a whole lot to hit,” said J.D. Drew, who walked three times and scored once.

“Guys took good, quality at-bats, got on base and when we did get a pitch to hit, guys came through in a big situation.”

Dustin Pedroia knocked in two with another double to right-center. Boston sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth and 10 more batted in the fifth.

“We’re pitching well and everything seems to be clicking right now, and it’s one of those things where you try to hold onto it as long as you can,” said Jed Lowrie, who is batting .375 early in his rookie season.

Clay Buchholz (1-1) earned his first win of the season and also worked out of early trouble, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and stranding six runners over the first three innings. Buchholz rebounded to retire the side in order in the fourth and fifth and finished with six shutout innings, allowing just five hits.