Boston Red Sox (77-48) @ Texas Rangers (73-55)
Erik Bedard (4-8, 3.44) @ C.J. Wilson (12-5, 3.20)
8:05 PM EDT | Rangers Ballpark In Arlington (Arlington, TX)
TV: NESN, MLBN RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
GAME NOTES
Everything’s bigger in August. Every win starts to become more important, every loss more detrimental. Every decision is analyzed to its core, and sometimes beyond it. Everything’s bigger in Texas (at least that’s what they say…). The offense certainly is. The Texas Rangers rank second in the league in batting average, third in runs, and third in slugging percentage. So when the Boston Red Sox visit Texas late in this month of August, something has to give. Trailing the Yankees by half a game in the American league East, they Sox play the first game of a four game set tonight. Erik Bedard will start for Boston. He may have finally passed the point where I make a joke about his arm falling off every time he pitches. (Cut to the fifth inning, with Bedard on the ground and Francona standing over him just shaking his head.) He has made three starts for the Sox, and all of them have been quality. Of course, he doesn’t have a win to show for it, but what are wins good for anyway? His last start came against Tampa Bay. He pitched six innings, surrendering three runs (only one of them earned), while striking out six.
The Rangers counter with their lefty ace, C.J. Wilson. When he’s not tweeting, he’s usually pitching pretty well. He has twelve wins on the season, and only two losses, with a 3.20 ERA. He earned a win in his last start, a seven inning effort against the Ranger’s division rivals, the Angels. He allowed only two runs (one of them earned) and struck out six. Jacoby Ellsbury will miss his third straight game after being hit in the back by a pitch in Kansas City. Darnell McDonald with patrol center in his place. David Ortiz will also sit out another game, his eighth straight after being sidelined with right heel bursitis. In what could very well be a playoff preview, the Sox are hoping not to swelter in the Texas heat.
Boston
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- Darnell McDonald, CF
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Jed Lowrie, 3B
- Ryan Lavarnway, DH
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- Josh Reddick, RF
Texas
- Ian Kinsler, 2B
- Elvis Andrus, SS
- Josh Hamilton, LF
- Michael Young, 3B
- Nelson Cruz, RF
- Mike Napoli, DH
- Mitch Moreland, 1B
- Yorvit Torrealba, C
- Craig Gentry, CF
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Clay Buchholz, lower back strain (placed on 15-day DL June 19, retroactive to June 17); J.D. Drew, left shoulder impingement (placed on 15-day DL July 26); Bobby Jenks, strained back (placed on 15-day DL July 16); David Ortiz, right heel bursitis (day-to-day); Kevin Youkilis, sore back (Placed on 15 day DL August 18)
Texas: Adrian Beltre, strained hamstring (placed on 15-day DL July 23rd); Andres Blanco, lower back inflamattion (Placed on 15 day DL August 9th)
Stats
-The Sox were outscored 26-11 in their previous three games against the Rangers this year.
-Bedard faced the Rangers twice this season when we was with Seattle. He allowed five earned runs in 12 innings.
-Jason Varitek’s triple yesterday was his first since 2007.
-CJ Wilson leads all Ranger pitchers with a 4.6 WAR.