Texas Rangers (78-60) @ Boston Red Sox (83-53)
Derek Holland (12-5, 4.30) @ Andrew Miller (6-1, 4.42)
7:10 PM EDT | Fenway Park (Boston, MA)
TV: NESN, MLB Network RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
GAME NOTES
Tonight the Red Sox will try to rebound from their close 4-2 loss against the Yankees last night in the first game of a weekend series against the Texas Rangers. Regarding last night, I guess A.J. Burnett made his case to be a post-season starter, and when you are Mariano Rivera you are going to get that call on the last pitch to Adrian Gonzalez.
Turning to tonight, Andrew Miller attempts to continue his good pitching against a strong Texas squad. Miller earned a win in his last start against Texas, going 6 1/3 innings in a 6-0 victory. Derek Holland has won six of his last seven decisions, posting a 3.26 ERA in a 10-game span. Kevin Youkilis makes his return from the disabled list tonight, so I expect at least six home runs from Youk.
Lineups
Boston Red Sox
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Kevin Youkilis, 3B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Jed Lowrie, SS
- Conor Jackson, LF (Crawford late scratch due to illness)
- Jason Varitek, C
- Darnell McDonald, RF
Texas Rangers
- Ian Kinsler, 2B
- Elvis Andrus, SS
- Josh Hamilton, LF
- Michael Young, 1B
- Adrian Beltre, 3B
- Mike Napoli, C
- Yorvit Torrealba, DH
- David Murphy, RF
- 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, currently rehabbing); Bobby Jenks, strained back (placed on 15-day DL July 16, transferred to 60-day DL on September 1)
Texas: Nelson Cruz, pulled left hamstring (placed in 15-day DL August 30); Darren O’Day, right shoulder inflammation (placed on 15-day DL August 30)
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Fun Facts
-Tonight’s game is expected to by the 700th straight sellout at Fenway Park, dating back to May 15, 2003.
– On September 2, 1988, Mike Greenwell drove in all 9 Red Sox runs in a 9-8 victory against Seattle. Greenwell’s 9 RBI set an MLB record for most RBI in a game in which one player drove in all of his teams runs.
-And for today’s Totally Untrue Fun Fact: When Ted Williams managed the Texas Rangers in 1972 he fished so much that he caught every fish in Texas. Local restaurants were unable to serve fish tacos until 1978.