GAME #83, BOSTON RED SOX AT TEXAS RANGERS

[Bear]

RED SOX V RANGERS

MONDAY, JULY 3, 2017, 8 PM AT GLOBE LIFE PARK IN ARLINGTON

TV:  NESN, ESPN, (OUT-OF-MARKET ONLY)FSSW

BOSTON, (47-35)..........................................................................................TEXAS, (40-42)

BOSTON:

RICK PORCELLO, RHP, 4-10, 5.06 ERA, 99K

The right-hander has had more definition to his sinker in his past couple
of starts and hopes to get into a groove in his final two starts before the break.
In his career at Texas, Porcello is 4-2 with a 3.19 ERA.

TEXAS:

MARTIN PEREZ, LHP, 4-6, 4.70 ERA 61K

Perez is coming off the DL and pitched for the first time since June 22.  He
was sidelined by a fractured tip of his right thumb.  He won his last two starts
before the injury and is 2-2 with a 6.12 ERA in six career starts agains the Red
Sox.

Perez returns from DL as Rangers host Red Sox

R.T. Sullivan

Left-hander Martin Perez comes off the disabled list to pitch for the Rangers against struggling Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello when the two teams open a three-game series on Monday night at Globe Life Park.

The Red Sox swept a three-game series from the Rangers at Fenway Park in May, but Texas is still 39-26 against Boston since the start of the 2009 season, including 22-10 in Arlington.

Perez is making his first start since June 22 against the Blue Jays. He was sidelined with a fractured tip of his right thumb after jamming it in a hotel door. He will wear a protective plastic shield on the thumb devised by assistant hitting coach Justin Mashore.

"I feel good," Perez said. "We'll see what happens in the game. It's time to pitch and win. I'm ready to pitch."
Perez, who won his last two starts prior to the injury, is 2-2 with a 6.12 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox. That is the eighth-highest ERA by any active opponent with at least five starts against the Red Sox.

Porcello is the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, but he has not been able to recapture that success. He is 1-5 with a 6.07 ERA in his last seven starts, leaving him 4-10 with a 5.06 ERA on the season. That's the most losses and the seventh-highest ERA in the American League. His 1.51 WHIP is the fifth highest.

"I'm thinking of what I can do to help our team win," Porcello said. "And that's first and foremost having quick innings, keeping runs off the board, simple stuff that everybody knows about. I mean, there's a lot that goes into it but this isn't about me. This is about our ballclub. I'm not going to harp on my struggles or what's going on there."

Porcello did beat the Rangers, 11-6, on May 23 despite allowing five runs (four earned) in 6 2/3 innings. He is 6-4 with a 5.66 ERA in 10 career starts against Texas. That's the second-highest ERA against the Rangers among active pitchers with at least 10 starts against them.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH IN THIS GAME

• This will be the first trip back to Arlington for Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland. He played for the Rangers from 2010-16 before leaving as a free agent. He was 6-for-9 against the Rangers during their three-game series in Boston.

• The Rangers are hitting .261 as a team at home this season. Right now, that would be the lowest home batting average for the Rangers since Globe Life opened as the Ballpark in Arlington in 1994.

• Red Sox shortstop Xavier Bogaerts is day to day with tightness in his left groin muscle.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170702240042406/perez-returns-from-dl-as-rangers-host-red-sox/?game_pk=491339

[Bear]

Red Sox v Perez:

Betts RF,
Pedroia 2B,
Young LF,
Ramirez DH,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Travis 1B,
Leon C,
Marrero 3B,
Lin SS,

Porcello RHP.

[Bill-806]

  As HOT as the SOX have been, the WEATHER in TEXAS is even HOTTER....  Tough place to play, a lot like the PATRIOTS going in to Miami in SEPTEMBER !! iono

[Rob from Mass]

JBJ and POMERANZ  both enjoyed a sizzling month of June.JBJ raised his BA 84 points .. to.284.  Pomeranz pitched  to a ERA of 3 in June.

[SeaBeachFred]

Though we played very good ball the last two series tonight's game has me very concerned.  That is Porcello and the hitting.  Will Rick finally come through and make his sinker and his fastball work well for him and will our team keep hitting as they have the last few games?  Texas is no pushover and they remember how we swept them in our park back in the Spring and I'm sure they want to exact some serious revenge this series rematch.  The hitters, fielder, pitchers and manager have to have their best games ready with few mistakes and solid play.  It would be a real bummer to go out there and surrender our first place standing that it took so long to reach.  Go out there and take care of the Texans no matter what you need to do to get the job done.

[Bill-806]

  X-MAN  , what's up there ????

[Rob from Mass]

Though we played very good ball the last two series tonight's game has me very concerned.  That is Porcello and the hitting.  Will Rick finally come through and make his sinker and his fastball work well for him and will our team keep hitting as they have the last few games?  Texas is no pushover and they remember how we swept them in our park back in the Spring and I'm sure they want to exact some serious revenge this series rematch.  The hitters, fielder, pitchers and manager have to have their best games ready with few mistakes and solid play.  It would be a real bummer to go out there and surrender our first place standing that it took so long to reach.  Go out there and take care of the Texans no matter what you need to do to get the job done.

Fred expecting this to be an easy run the rest of the way IMHO is setting you up for some difficult times along the way.The Sox are far from a dominant team and as I mentioned earlier there will be hard times and bumpy roads ahead. I hope I am wrong but I don`t think I am in saying this will be a long hard grind to game 162. These last few games have been great with some power, unfortunately, we don`t have what is considered a power team. Grinding out Ws with 3-4-5 hits is what the Sox are.

[ipot]

Bogaerts day-to-day.  :(

Key to the game, though, is Porcello.  If only he could pitch like he did in his aberrant year (last year) for 1 flipping game, we could keep the streak going......

[markj]

ESPN game, so expect 3-1/2 to 4 hours.

[Schloicka]

2-1 Sox after 2. Sox had a chance to score big but got only 2. Texas got their run on what they called a wild pitch but looked more like a passed ball as I thought Leon should of caught it.

[markj]

Sox with a bases loaded chance here, but already 2 outs, so...

[Schloicka]

Sox take advantage of the error and get 3 runs. 5-2 Sox now. Hopefully Porcello can get through the 6th.

[Schloicka]

Porcello got through the 6th. 5-2 Sox.

[markj]

Sox take advantage of the error and get 3 runs. 5-2 Sox now. Hopefully Porcello can get through the 6th.

Yeah, that was a nice surprise.

[Rob from Mass]

Texas a poor hitting team but loves the long ball.5-3.