At Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, the Boston Red Sox fell to the Texas Rangers 7-3 on Wednesday night, marking another disappointing offensive performance for Boston. The Red Sox managed just three hits in the game, continuing a recent trend of diminished production at the plate.

Starting pitcher Jake Bennett allowed eight hits and three runs over 4⅔ innings, walking one and striking out seven. On the Rangers’ side, left-hander MacKenzie Gore pitched four innings, conceding three runs despite dealing with shoulder and back spasms that appeared to reduce his velocity. Former Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, recently activated from the injured list, closed out the game for Texas, delivering four scoreless innings and allowing just one hit without issuing a walk.

Boston’s offense struggled against Gore, going 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. The only Red Sox run outside an early Willson Contreras home run in the first inning came on a balk by Rangers reliever Jakob Junis. Trevor Story singled in the fifth, and pinch hitter Nick Sogard singled in the sixth, but neither ignited a rally.

Interim manager Chad Tracy described the team as “going through it a little bit,” attributing the slump to the unpredictable nature of baseball and the challenge of overcoming slumping players. “We got some guys going through it, and then you could see one or two big swings in a complete turn the other direction,” he said. The Red Sox, who entered the game with a .222 batting average in September—tied for 26th in the majors—have struggled to generate consistent offense throughout the month. Their OPS stands at .675, ranking 26th, and they are 27th in runs scored during this period.

The game shifted in the bottom of the seventh inning when Rangers left-hander Erik Miller allowed three runs. After hitting a batter and walking another, Miller gave up a double to Brandon Nimmo and a two-run single to Ezequiel Duran. Miller acknowledged recent difficulties with his mechanics, citing six walks (including one intentional) and a hit-by-pitch in his last five outings.

With this loss, Boston’s record fell to 82-70, officially eliminating them from American League East contention. Despite a 7-7 mark in September and losses in five of their last seven games, the Red Sox remain firmly in the second wild-card spot. Infielder Caleb Durbin expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rebound in the final 10 games of the regular season, pointing to the anticipated return of outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela from a right quadriceps strain as a potential boost.

“We know what we’re capable of,” Durbin said. “September can be a drag at times, but we’ve done a good job putting ourselves in a position where if we drop a couple games, we’re still okay. There’s still a sense of urgency to get the job done.”