AL: BOSTON (31-15) at TEXAS (18-29) <h3>Matsuzaka looks for sixth straight win</h3> Boston (31-15) at Texas (18-29), 8:05 pm EDT ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Daisuke Matsuzaka is paying off onan investment of more than $100 million. The Japanese righthander seeks his sixth straight win as theBoston Red Sox visit the Texas Rangers on Friday. Matsuzaka (6-2, 4.06 ERA) was named American League Player ofthe Week last Monday after winning both of his starts. Matsuzaka signed for more than $50 million after the Red Soxput up a $51 million posting fee for his rights. The Red Sox hope Matsuzaka can help them rebound from an 8-3loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Boston dropped twoof three to its division rival, but still holds a 9 1/2-gamelead in the American League East. The 26-year old rookie has benefited from strong run support. The first-place Red Sox (31-15) have scored at least six runsfor him in each of his last six outings. Texas sends Brandon McCarthy (4-4, 5.82) to the mound. Therighthander has won three straight decisions and allowed one runand four hits in six innings in a 14-1 rout at Houston lastSunday. McCarthy is 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA lifetime against Boston.
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">BOSTON AT TEXAS -- LINEUPS BOSTON TEXAS AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Julio Lugo SS .236 3 27 Kenny Lofton CF .267 4 12 Kevin Youkilis 1B .347 6 25 Michael Young SS .240 4 25 David Ortiz DH .319 9 37 Mark Teixeira 1B .307 8 29 Manny Ramirez LF .250 7 28 Sammy Sosa RF .266 10 36 J.D. Drew RF .237 2 13 Frank Catalanotto DH .164 3 10 Mike Lowell 3B .333 9 37 Nelson Cruz LF .211 3 12 Jason Varitek C .274 3 19 Ian Kinsler 2B .240 10 26 Coco Crisp CF .240 1 13 Gerald Laird C .233 2 14 Dustin Pedroia 2B .269 1 7 Ramon Vazquez 3B .600 2 7 Daisuke Matsuzaka RHP (6-2, 4.06) Brandon Mccarthy RHP (4-4, 5.82)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS NOTE: THE START OF THE GAME IS BEING DELAYED DUE TO RAIN.</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS WARMUPS: BOS - DAISUKE MATSUZAKA (6-2, 4.06) TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY (4-4, 5.82) UMPIRES: HP - LARRY YOUNG 1B - ANGEL HERNANDEZ 2B - TED BARRETT 3B - MARK CARLSON WEATHER: 70 Degrees, rain WIND: 5 mph, left to right</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS NOTE: THE GAME IS UNDERWAY AFTER A 1 HOUR AND 57 MINUTE DELAY.</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS STARTING BATS: BOS - DAISUKE MATSUZAKA AND JASON VARITEK TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY AND GERALD LAIRD DUE UP FOR BOSTON: J LUGO (.236, 3 HR, 27 RBI) K YOUKILIS (.347, 6 HR, 25 RBI) D ORTIZ (.319, 9 HR, 37 RBI)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - BOSTON 0 0 0 0 TEXAS 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: BOS - DAISUKE MATSUZAKA TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY DUE UP FOR TEXAS: K LOFTON (.267, 4 HR, 12 RBI) M YOUNG (.240, 4 HR, 25 RBI) M TEIXEIRA (.307, 8 HR, 29 RBI)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">BOSTON (0) VS TEXAS (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Lugo ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 K Youkilis 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .345 D Ortiz dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .317 M Ramirez lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 J Drew rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 M Lowell 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 C Crisp cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 D Pedroia 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg K Lofton cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 M Young ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 M Teixeira 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307 S Sosa rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .266 F Catalanotto dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .164 N Cruz lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .211 I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 G Laird c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .600 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON - 0 -- 0 TEXAS - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era D Matsuzaka 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.06 TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.68 Pitches-strikes: B McCarthy 19-11. Ground balls-fly balls: B McCarthy 1-1. Batters faced: B McCarthy 3. UMPIRES: HP--Larry Young. 1B--Angel Hernandez. 2B--Ted Barrett. 3B--Mark Carlson. (Plus rain delay totaling 117 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 69 degrees, rain. Wind: 5 mph, left to right.</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS CONFIRMED STARTERS: BOS - DAISUKE MATSUZAKA TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - BOSTON 0 0 0 0 TEXAS 0 0 1 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: BOS - DAISUKE MATSUZAKA TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY DUE UP FOR BOSTON: M RAMIREZ (.250, 7 HR, 28 RBI) J DREW (.237, 2 HR, 13 RBI) M LOWELL (.333, 9 HR, 37 RBI)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">BOSTON (0) VS TEXAS (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Lugo ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 K Youkilis 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .345 D Ortiz dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .317 M Ramirez lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 J Drew rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 M Lowell 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 J Varitek c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 C Crisp cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 D Pedroia 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. FIELDING: DP: 1 (J Lugo-K Youkilis). TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg K Lofton cf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .267 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .244 M Teixeira 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .306 S Sosa rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .265 F Catalanotto dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .164 N Cruz lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .211 I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 G Laird c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .600 Totals 3 0 1 0 1 1 2 BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - S Sosa 1. GIDP - M Teixeira. Team LOB - 1. ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON - 0 -- 0 TEXAS - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era D Matsuzaka 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 4.00 TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.68 Pitches-strikes: D Matsuzaka 18-9; B McCarthy 19-11. Ground balls-fly balls: D Matsuzaka 2-0; B McCarthy 1-1. Batters faced: D Matsuzaka 4; B McCarthy 3. UMPIRES: HP--Larry Young. 1B--Angel Hernandez. 2B--Ted Barrett. 3B--Mark Carlson. (Plus rain delay totaling 117 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 69 degrees, rain. Wind: 5 mph, left to right.</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE SACRIFICE FLY BY JASON VARITEK SCORED MANNY RAMIREZ. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M LOWELL ON FIRST, J DREW ON SECOND, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 1 TEXAS 0 TOP, 2ND DUE UP FOR BOSTON: C CRISP (.240, 1 HR, 13 RBI)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE SINGLE BY DUSTIN PEDROIA SCORED J.D. DREW AND MIKE LOWELL. SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, D PEDROIA ON FIRST, C CRISP ON THIRD, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 3 TEXAS 0 TOP, 2ND DUE UP FOR BOSTON: J LUGO (.235, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE FIELDER'S CHOICE BY JULIO LUGO SCORED COCO CRISP. SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, J LUGO ON FIRST, 2 OUT CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 4 TEXAS 0 TOP, 2ND DUE UP FOR BOSTON: K YOUKILIS (.345, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - BOSTON 0 4 4 1 0 TEXAS 0 0 1 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: BOS - DAISUKE MATSUZAKA TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY DUE UP FOR TEXAS: F CATALANOTTO (.164, 3 HR, 10 RBI) N CRUZ (.211, 3 HR, 12 RBI) I KINSLER (.240, 10 HR, 26 RBI)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">BOSTON (4) VS TEXAS (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Lugo ss 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 .233 K Youkilis 1b 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 .343 D Ortiz dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .317 M Ramirez lf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .250 J Drew rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .237 M Lowell 3b 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .333 J Varitek c 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 .274 C Crisp cf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .240 D Pedroia 2b 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 .276 Totals 6 4 1 4 4 1 4 BATTING: SF - J Varitek. RBI - J Varitek (20), D Pedroia 2 (9), J Lugo (28). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - K Youkilis 1. Team LOB - 1. BASERUNNING: SB - J Lugo (13, 2nd base off B McCarthy/G Laird). FIELDING: DP: 1 (J Lugo-K Youkilis). TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg K Lofton cf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .267 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .244 M Teixeira 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .306 S Sosa rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .265 F Catalanotto dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .164 N Cruz lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .211 I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 G Laird c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .600 Totals 3 0 1 0 1 1 2 BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - S Sosa 1. GIDP - M Teixeira. Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: Outfield assists - S Sosa (D Pedroia at 2nd base). ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON - 04 -- 4 TEXAS - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era D Matsuzaka 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 4.00 TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 2 1 4 4 4 1 0 6.35 Pitches-strikes: D Matsuzaka 18-9; B McCarthy 66-33. Ground balls-fly balls: D Matsuzaka 2-0; B McCarthy 2-3. Batters faced: D Matsuzaka 4; B McCarthy 11. UMPIRES: HP--Larry Young. 1B--Angel Hernandez. 2B--Ted Barrett. 3B--Mark Carlson. (Plus rain delay totaling 117 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 69 degrees, rain. Wind: 5 mph, left to right.</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - BOSTON 0 4 4 1 0 TEXAS 0 0 0 1 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: BOS - DAISUKE MATSUZAKA TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY DUE UP FOR BOSTON: D ORTIZ (.317, 0-FOR-1) M RAMIREZ (.250, 0-FOR-0, BB) J DREW (.237, 0-FOR-0, BB)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">BOSTON (4) VS TEXAS (0) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS BOSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Lugo ss 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 .233 K Youkilis 1b 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 .343 D Ortiz dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .317 M Ramirez lf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .250 J Drew rf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .237 M Lowell 3b 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .333 J Varitek c 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 .274 C Crisp cf 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .240 D Pedroia 2b 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 .276 Totals 6 4 1 4 4 1 4 BATTING: SF - J Varitek. RBI - J Varitek (20), D Pedroia 2 (9), J Lugo (28). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - K Youkilis 1. Team LOB - 1. BASERUNNING: SB - J Lugo (13, 2nd base off B McCarthy/G Laird). FIELDING: DP: 1 (J Lugo-K Youkilis). TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg K Lofton cf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .267 M Young ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .244 M Teixeira 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .306 S Sosa rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .265 F Catalanotto dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .161 N Cruz lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .209 I Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .240 G Laird c 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .231 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .600 Totals 6 0 1 0 2 3 3 BATTING: Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - S Sosa 1. GIDP - M Teixeira. Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: Outfield assists - S Sosa (D Pedroia at 2nd base). ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON - 04 -- 4 TEXAS - 00 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- BOSTON ip h r er bb so hr era D Matsuzaka 2 1 0 0 2 3 0 3.94 TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 2 1 4 4 4 1 0 6.35 Pitches-strikes: D Matsuzaka 32-18; B McCarthy 66-33. Ground balls-fly balls: D Matsuzaka 3-0; B McCarthy 2-3. Batters faced: D Matsuzaka 8; B McCarthy 11. UMPIRES: HP--Larry Young. 1B--Angel Hernandez. 2B--Ted Barrett. 3B--Mark Carlson. (Plus rain delay totaling 117 minutes in the 1st). Weather: 69 degrees, rain. Wind: 5 mph, left to right.</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS - PITCHING CHANGE TEX: WES LITTLETON (0-0, 0.00) STARTING THE 3RD CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 4, TEXAS 0 DUE UP FOR BOSTON: D ORTIZ (.317, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: BOSTON at TEXAS <div class="pre">AL AT TEXAS - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: W Littleton relieved B McCarthy. SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: BOSTON 4 TEXAS 0 TOP, 3RD DUE UP FOR BOSTON: D Ortiz (.317, 0-FOR-1)</div>
