GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: BOSTON (31-15) at TEXAS (18-29)

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>