Arlington, Texas — For the Boston Red Sox, Saturday night's 8-0 loss to the Texas Rangers was about much more than being no-hit into the fifth inning by 23-year-old Chi Chi Gonzalez in his major league debut.

It was also about a defense which committed three errors and made life even more difficult for left-hander Wade Miley with what manager John Farrell called tentative play in the field.

It was about a team averaging only 2.86 runs this month, shut out three times in May, sitting last in an American League East in which no team has taken control.

"We played terrible," second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. "You guys watched; there's nothing you can say. We were bad."

David Ortiz led off the sixth with an opposite-field double to the gap in left-center to end the no-hit bid. But that was a rare bright spot for the Red Sox, who were limited to five hits by Gonzalez — who was pulled after 5 2-3 innings — and three relievers.

"That was an ugly game," Farrell said. "That was not a good display of baseball."

Miley (4-5) allowed six runs, five earned, in four-plus innings. It was a far cry from his three previous starts, all wins during which he allowed only three earned runs in 21 2-3 innings.

"My tempo wasn't good," he said. "I tried to slow myself down to make some adjustments. Just was never able to."

Texas' four-run fourth inning, which built the lead to 5-0, was the prime example of Boston's ills. It featured left fielder Hanley Ramirez letting a ball drop in front of him, right fielder Rusney Castillo taking a wrong route on a ball that sailed over his head for a two-run double, a throw home by shortstop Brock Holt that was wide of the plate and a throwing error by Miley on a safety squeeze bunt.

The Red Sox didn't resemble the team that, in Thursday night's series opener, backed the excellent pitching of its own first-time big league starter, right-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, in a 5-1 win.

Pedroia, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games, said there isn't much to say. And Farrell isn't interested in holding another team meeting.

"This isn't about talking," Farrell said. "This is about going out and doing it. The personnel is here."

Ortiz returned to the lineup after sitting out two games following a 1-for-12 stretch that dropped his batting average to .216 for the season and .200 for the month. He went 2 for 4, his first multihit game since May 19.

Six into five

Rodriguez will remain added to the five-man starting rotation through the end of the current stretch in which the Red Sox will play on 20 consecutive days. Who will be the odd man out after that? Farrell said, "One of the things that comes out of this is that competition is a healthy thing."

Bianchi's decision

Red Sox INF Jeff Bianchi, who was designated for assignment Thursday, declined an assignment to Triple-A Pawtucket and opted for free agency.

Trainer's room

Red Sox: LHP Edwin Escobar (elbow inflammation) has begun pitching in extended spring training games.

Rangers: RHP Neftali Feliz (arm abscess) will throw his first bullpen session on Sunday.

Up next

Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelly (1-4) has four losses and four no-decisions after opening the season with a win at Yankee Stadium. One of the defeats came against Texas on May 20 despite allowing only two runs in seven innings.

Rangers: LHP Wandy Rodriguez (2-2) was signed on opening day, three days after being released by Atlanta. He won at Fenway Park on May 21, giving up one run in 6 2/3 innings.