Texas Rangers

Wrapping up another lopsided Rangers loss

The Texas Rangers have lost three of their past four, getting outscored by a total of 34-7 in those three losses. The latest came with a 13-2 drubbing by the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. Here are a few postgame notes from the game:

* Matt Harrison matched season highs in hits (11) and runs allowed (7). He went five innings with one walk and four strikeouts. He is winless in his last three outings, and the loss snapped a career-high streak of four consecutive victories at Rangers Ballpark.

* Michael Young knows that the lopsided losses are inevitable throughout a 162-game season, but wasn't ready to use that as an excuse. He said the team needs to make adjustments, and come back ready to play in the four-game series finale on Thursday.

* Mike Napoli was one of the few bright spots. He belted his 22nd home run of the season, a solo shot off Josh Beckett in the fourth inning. He has homered in two of the past three games. Napoli added an RBI single in the eighth.

* The margin of defeat, 11, matched the team's season high. They lost 15-4 on April 19 vs. the Angels.

* Texas has allowed 11 or more runs in consecutive games for the first time since 2008, when they took back-to-back losses on Sept. 17 vs. Detroit (17-4) and Sept. 19 vs. the Angels (15-13).

* The Rangers' rotation, which has exceeded expectations for the most part, has struggled of late. Even with C.J. Wilson throwing 6 2/3 scoreless innings Monday, the starters have an 8.14 ERA over their last four starts, allowing 19 runs over 21 innings. Prior to the last four games, the rotation had gone 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA over the club's previous 10 games.

-- Drew Davison

Final: Red Sox 13, Rangers 2

Matt Harrison admitted that fatigue might have set in his past couple of starts as his innings pitched continue to pile up.

And it showed again on Wednesday night. Harrison didn’t catch a second wind, as the Boston Red Sox pounded him en route to a 13-2 victory over the Rangers.

The Red Sox scored four runs in the first inning off Harrison. Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz had back-to-back RBI singles, and Carl Crawford added a two-run double later in the inning.

Pedroia had an RBI hit in the second to give Boston a 5-0 lead, and Marco Scutaro drove in a run in the fourth for a 6-0 lead.

When he left the game, Harrison had allowed seven runs on 11 hits with one walk and four strikeouts over five innings. It matched his season high in hits and runs allowed.

The Red Sox cushioned their lead with two-run homers in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Jacoby Ellsbury went deep off Yoshinori Tateyama in the sixth, while Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez belted shots off Darren O’Day.

Boston starter Josh Beckett, meanwhile, held Texas to one run on four hits over six innings.

Mike Napoli provided the Rangers’ lone run off Beckett, a solo shot in the fourth. Napoli had an RBI single in the eighth, too.

-- Drew Davison

Rangers pregame notes: Beltre update, Cruz break

Here are a few Rangers pregame notes before they face the Red Sox in Game 3 of this four-game series at the Ballpark in Arlington.

* The earliest Adrian Beltre can be cleared by team doctors to go on a medical rehabilitation assignment is Saturday. He has yet to run the bases at 100 percent, and had a light workout scheduled for Wednesday. Manager Ron Washington doesn't foresee Beltre going out on a rehab assignment by Sunday, but didn't rule it out, either.

* Nelson Cruz was given a day off Wednesday after going 3 for 23 in his last six games. Cruz described his season as being inconsistent, as did Washington. While Cruz understood the reasons behind giving him a break, he wasn't too pleased. "You never want a day off," Cruz said. "I am here to play."

* The Rangers recalled right-handed reliever Darren O'Day from Triple A Round Rock, optioning third catcher Taylor Teagarden back to the Express. The move limits Washington's ability to play both Mike Napoli and Yorvit Torrealba in the same lineup. However, Washington will likely play both of them against left-handed starters (Napoli at first base, Torrealba at catcher).

* Rangers players from the Dominican -- Neftali Feliz, Nelson Cruz, Adrian Beltre -- said no family members or close friends have been affected by Hurricane Irene. Feliz said there was just a lot of rain from the city he's from, Azua, in the southern part of the country.

-- Drew Davison

Wednesday's lineups: Rangers vs. Red Sox

Nelson Cruz was given a day off, and it might be much-needed as he's 3 for 23 in his las six games. David Murphy gets the start in right field. Here's how the Rangers-Red Sox match up for Game 3 of this four-game series.

Texas Rangers

1. Ian Kinsler (DH)

2. Elvis Andrus (SS)

3. Josh Hamilton (LF)

4. Michael Young (3B)

5. Mike Napoli (C)

6. Mitch Moreland (1B)

7. David Murphy (RF)

8. Endy Chavez (CF)

9. Omar Quintanilla (2B)

P -- Matt Harrison (10-8, 3.28 ERA)

Boston Red Sox

1. Jacoby Ellsbury (CF)

2. Marco Scutaro (SS)

3. Adrian Gonzalez (1B)

4. Dustin Pedroia (2B)

5. David Ortiz (DH)

6. Jed Lowrie (3B)

7. Carl Crawford (LF)

8. Jason Varitek (C)

9. Darnell McDonald (RF)

P -- Josh Beckett (10-5, 2.46 ERA)

Wrapping up the Rangers' loss to Boston on Tuesday.

Here are a few postgame notes after the Rangers fell to the Red Sox, 11-5, on Tuesday night – the first loss Texas has had to Boston this season.

* Colby Lewis had a subpar start, allowing seven runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts over six innings. The seven runs were the second-most he’s given up this season, trailing only the nine runs he allowed to the Tigers on June 6. And he gave up two more home runs, both to Adrian Gonzalez, extending his American League-high to 30.

* Josh Hamilton had a solo home run in the fifth, his 17^th of the season. It was his fourth career home run and eighth career RBI off John Lackey.

* Ian Kinsler belted his 21^st home run of the season, a solo shot to left in the ninth. That’s the second-most home runs in his career (he had 31 in 2009). It’s also his fourth home run in his last five games.

* The Rangers defense did not commit an error for the fourth consecutive game, one shy of matching a season-high five games last done July 4-8.

* Finally, it’s worth noting, Boston is now tied atop the American League East with the New York Yankees, who fell to Oakland on Tuesday.

-- Drew Davison

Final: Red Sox 11, Rangers 5

Colby Lewis gave up the most runs in a start since June 6.

John Lackey, meanwhile, didn’t look like the pitcher who gave up nine runs to the Rangers on opening day. And, while he still might not be pitching as the Red Sox envisioned when they gave him a five-year, $82.5 million deal before the 2010 season, he pitched well enough.

That ended up being the difference in Game 2 of the four-game series, as Boston rolled to an 11-5 victory over Texas on Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Lewis gave up two runs in each of the first three innings, as the Red Sox took an early 6-0 lead.

The Rangers got back in it, though, with three runs in the third. Lackey issued a bases-loaded walk, and Josh Hamilton and Michael Young had sacrifice flies.

Boston had a 7-3 lead after a solo home run by Adrian Gonzalez in the fourth (his second of the night, as he went deep with a two-run blast in the first), but Hamilton cut it back to 7-4 with a solo shot of his own in the fifth.

Lewis left the game after six innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts. It was the second-most runs he’s allowed this season, trailing the nine runs he gave up to the Tigers on June 6.

However, the Rangers were within striking distance after Lackey went 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

But the Red Sox blew it open with four runs in the eighth. Marco Scutaro and Dustin Pedroia each had two-run doubles that inning.

Ian Kinsler had a solo homer in the ninth off Dan Wheeler, his 21st of the season.

-- Drew Davison

Tuesday's lineups: Rangers vs. Red Sox

Here's the lineups for tonight's Rangers-Red Sox game.

Texas Rangers

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. Elvis Andrus, SS

3. Josh Hamilton, LF

4. Michael Young, 3B

5. Nelson Cruz, RF

6. Mike Napoli, DH

7. Mitch Moreland, 1B

8. Yorvit Torrealba, C

9. Endy Chavez, CF

P -- Colby Lewis (11-8, 3.83 ERA)

Boston Red Sox

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

2. Marco Scutaro, SS

3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

4. Dustin Pedroia, 2B

5. Josh Reddick, RF

6. Jed Lowrie, 3B

7. Carl Crawford, LF

8. Ryan Lavarnway, DH

9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

P -- John Lackey (11-9, 6.02 ERA)

Tuesday's Rangers pregame notes

Here are a few pregame notes before the Rangers and Red Sox meet in Game 2 of this four-game series.

* Ron Washington said the team is monitoring the number of innings pitched by their young starters (Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando), but have no set plans to have them skip a start. At this point of the season, as Washington said, everybody is battling physical issues. "These are the dog days," he said. The Rangers could have Scott Feldman make a spot start, if needed, and will have more options when the rosters expand on Sept. 1.

* Adrian Beltre has yet to run the bases at 100 percent. He jogged around them for a second consecutive day. There is still no timetable set for Beltre.

* Matt Harrison has struggled with his command of late, issuing three walks in three of his last four starts. His velocity has remained steady, but said he has felt tired during a couple of his starts.

* Utility infielder Andres Blanco has been given the green light to participate in baseball activities. Of course, he has been told to stop if his back issues present themselves.

* Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle will throw out the first pitch tonight.

-- Drew Davison

Wrapping up a 4-0 Rangers victory

C.J. Wilson improved to 13-5 this season and 4-0 with a 1.08 in five career starts against Boston the past two years. Wilson allowed four hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings. He threw 40 pitches in the first two innings, which didn't allow him to go deeper in the game.

"It's not something where I have a magic spell over them," Wilson said. "It just happens that, like last year, I had to go out and pitch well. I don't ever go out there feeling like, 'Oh, it’s the Red Sox.' They are a really good team, and I don't take that for granted."

The shutout was the Rangers' 15th of the season, the most a Rangers team has had since the 1977 team had 17 shutouts. Ian Kinsler preserved the shutout with a diving grab of a Carl Crawford one-hop smash for the game's final out with runners at first and second.

The Rangers now lead the American League West by 4 1/2 games over the Angels, who didn't play Monday. The Rangers improved to 11-2 over the Red Sox the past two seasons.

Mike Napoli proved 75 percent of the offense with a three-run homer off Erik Bedard with two outs in the sixth inning. The homer was Napoli's 21st, and it also extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Bedard, who worked slowly on a night when it was 102 degrees at first pitch, was dismayed that the ball went over the wall.

"We had Bedard on the ropes right there, and his pitch count started piling up also," manager Ron Washington said. "He left a fastball up to Michael, and he didn’t miss it."

Said Napoli: "We have got to adjust as the game goes on. He did a good job. You tip your hat to him. C.J. kept us in the game. He threw up zeros and gave us a chance to score runs. Good team victory."

Nelson Cruz had an infield single in the fourth inning. His 1-for-4 night left him with a .409 career batting average against Boston, the highest mark by a Red Sox opponent with at least 90 plate appearances since 1946.

-- Jeff Wilson

Final - Texas 4, Boston 0

ARLINGTON – If the Texas Rangers could have written a script for exactly how they wanted a game to play out pitching-wise, Monday night’s 4-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington would be it.
Texas ace C.J. Wilson went 6 2/3, giving up no runs on four hits and Koji Uehara, Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz worked 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief.
Boston (77-50) starter Eric Bedard worked slow during his six innings of work, nearly lulling the Rangers’ lineup to sleep.
Texas (74-55) finally broke through in the third when Craig Gentry walked and first base umpire Doug Eddings did the Rangers a solid during Texas’ next at-bat, when he incorrectly called Ian Kinsler safe on a blooper to right Eddings said hit the ground before landing in Josh Reddick’s glove.
The call moved Gentry to second and Elvis Andrus brought him home with a single to left, giving Texas a 1-0 lead.
Consecutive singles by Josh Hamilton and Michael Young off Bedard in the sixth opened the door for Mike Napoli, who hit safely in his 21st straight game when he blasted his 21st home run of the season to left-center to give Texas a comfortable 4-0 advantage.
Wilson found himself in some trouble in the seventh, putting runners on first and second with a single and a walk.
But Wilson forced a ground ball and turned the game over to Uehara, who ended the threat.
 Adams threw one hitless inning, striking out two, and Feliz closed Boston out in the ninth.
-- Matthew Reagan

ARLINGTON – If the Texas Rangers could have written a script for exactly how they wanted a game to play out, Monday night’s

Texas ace C.J. Wilson went 6 2/3, giving up no runs on four hits and Koji Uehara, Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz