ARLINGTON, Texas _ Good news for the Rangers.
They likely will not face another Cy Young winner until next weekend, at Houston against Justin Verlander.
The Rangers completed a stretch of three consecutive games against Cy Young winners on Friday with a 5-1 loss to Boston at Globe Life Park. Rick Porcello, the American League Cy Young winner in 2016, held the Rangers to two hits in six innings.
Rangers starter Bartolo Colon matched a career high by allowing four homers, two by Rafael Devers. It was the first time since April 13, 2014 and the sixth time in 533 career starts that Colon has given up four homers.
Colon was a victim of his strike-throwing ability. He never went to three balls in a count because the Red Sox were prepared for early strikes.
"They know that I throw strikes and they want to be aggressive," said Colon, speaking through an interpreter. "I always have to give credit to the hitters. They know that I throw strikes."
Each homer was struck by the first batter of an inning. The four homers were twice the total Porcello has allowed in 46 1/3 innings this season. He is 5-0 with a 2.14 ERA.
Only one of the homers against Porcello had gone over the wall: by Nomar Mazara in the fourth inning. Tampa Bay's Denard Span has the other homer, a fluky inside-the-park piece.
The Rangers became the first team since the New York Mets, in September 1998, to face a Cy Young winner in three consecutive games. The Mets went 1-2 against the Atlanta trio of Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.
The Rangers also went 1-2. They beat Boston's David Price on Thursday but lost to Cleveland's Corey Kluber, of Coppell, on Wednesday.
For the season, the Rangers are 3-4 when facing Cy Young winners. The Rangers' hope is that going through this crucible makes their hitters better.
"You're facing the best when you get into these type of situations," manager Jeff Banister said. "Our guys have continued to battle through, especially the young guys. ... Facing guys like this is an opportunity to compete."
The Rangers started each of the first two innings with a base-runner against Porcello. He took care of each challenge with a ground ball.
In the first, Shin-Shoo Choo rolled into a double play after a single by Delino DeShields. In the second, Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded into the left side of a drawn-in infield with Mazara at second and one out. The chance ended with Ronald Guzman's strikeout.
Mazara had a double in addition to the homer against Porcello. Mazara has homered in four consecutive games.
This was a difficult matchup for Colon. Boston devours right-handers. Right-handed starters are 1-14 with 7.42 ERA against the Red Sox.
The homer barrage highlighted the narrow margin error that Colon has at this advanced stage of his career. He pitches with an 87-mph fastball not. That requires pinpoint command. Colon was even or ahead in the count on all four homers but paid for missing his spots.
J.D. Martinez started the barrage in the second by lofting a 2-2 changeup off the top of the left-field wall. Devers put the Red Sox ahead for the duration, at 2-1, by starting the fifth with a line-drive homer into the right-field upper deck on a 2-2 fastball.
Mookie Betts, who has five homers in the last three games, hit a 0-2 fastball for a homer in the sixth. Devers completed his double by pulling a 1-1 changeup in the seventh.
Boston manager Alex Cora was apprehensive about facing Colon.
"I love the fact that he enjoys it," Cora said. "He knows how good he is. He's not fooling me. He's good. He still enjoys the game, and he's lucky to be around."
