GAME #84, BOSTON RED SOX AT TEXAS RANGERS

[Bear]

RED SOX V RANGERS

TUESDAY, JULY 4, 2017, 8 PM AT GLOBE LIFE PARK IN ARLINGTON

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

BOSTON, (48-35)................................................................................TEXAS, (40-43)

BOSTON:

DAVID PRICE, LHP, 3-2, 4.61 ERA, 36K

The left-hander's last start was one of his best of the season, as he held
the Twins to three runs over seven innings.  Price has consistently held his
velocity in the mid 90's since returning from the left elbow strain.

TEXAS:

YU DARVICH, RHP, 6-6, 3.11 ERA, 115 K

Darvich is 1-4 with a 3.53 ERA in his last seven starts and he is 3-3 with a
3.81 ERA in nine starts at hone.  He's pitching against the Red Sox for the first
time since 2014 and is 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA in three starts.

Darvish aims to cool off streaking Red Sox

Dave Sessions

Before the Independence Day fireworks at Globe Life Park, fans will be treated to a marquee pitching matchup as Red Sox lefty David Price will face Rangers righty Yu Darvish on Tuesday night.

Coming off back-to-back quality starts, Darvish will make his 18th start of the year. He has allowed two earned runs in his last 13 innings pitched and has the AL's lowest opponents' batting average with runners in scoring position at .153. Darvish will represent the Rangers in the All-Star Game on July 11, his fourth appearance in the game but his first since 2014 as he has battled back from Tommy John surgery.

"I wasn't sure I'd ever get back on the mound," Darvish said. "To go through that process and come back and be selected an All-Star that means a lot to me."

Price, a five-time All-Star, has allowed three earned runs in each of his last four starts and went seven innings last Thursday in Minnesota, striking out seven. He is 3-5 with a 5.52 ERA in 13 career starts against the Rangers, although he has a 7.68 ERA in seven starts in Texas.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• The Rangers have struggled significantly against lefties this season, with an American League-worst .225 batting average against southpaws. Their lefty-heavy everyday lineup includes Shin-Soo Choo (.235 vs. lefties), Nomar Mazara (.212), Rougned Odor (.175) and Joey Gallo (.204), though manager Jeff Banister isn't likely to start all four of those players against Price.

• Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts lit up Statcast on Sunday, going 4-for-6 with two homers and a career-high-tying eight RBIs as the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays. All four of Betts' hits recorded exit velocities over 100 mph, including a 109.3-mph homer that ranks as his fifth-hardest batted ball of the season. On Monday, Betts was named a starter in the All-Star Game and was honored as the AL Player of the Week.

• Only four current Red Sox have faced Darvish, with Dustin Pedroia enjoying the most success with a .364 average (4-for-11). He is riding a four-game hitting streak in which he has recorded RBIs in each game.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170704240340170/darvish-aims-to-cool-off-streaking-red-sox/?game_pk=491350

[Bear]

RED SOX (48-35)

Mookie Betts, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Andrew Benintendi, LF
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Christian Vazquez, C
Tzu-Wei Lin, 3B
David Price, LHP (3-2, 4.61 ERA)

RANGERS (40-43)

Delino DeShields Jr., LF
Shin-Soo Choo, RF
Elvis Andrus, SS
Adrian Beltre, DH
Carlos Gomez, CF
Rougned Odor, 2B
Mike Napoli, 1B
Robinson Chirinos, C
Pete Kozma, 3B

Yu Darvish, RHP (6-6, 3.11 ERA)

Read more at: http://nesn.com/2017/07/red-sox-vs-rangers-lineup-xander-bogaerts-returns-david-price-starts/

[longgame]

Should be interesting to see how Price does.  He's away from Fenway, he has no excuses, so go out and pitch and don't say anything stupid.  A couple of guys in that lineup have good numbers against him.

Darvish is apparently back to the guy he was a couple of years ago but I remember seeing them play the Rangers and beating up on him a few years back at a game I went to at Fenway.  The bats seem hot so let's see if they can get to him. 

[Rob from Mass]

Yanks lost so Sox with a W could go up by 3 games.

[SeaBeachFred]

The baseball is in our court tonight Rob.   The Red Sox have to go out there and get it done. 

[Bill-806]

  GO SOX, make us proud on Americas birth day !! thumb_u

[markj]

Two outs and now Price can't get out of the inning.

[markj]

There we go. That's better 

[Schloicka]

Betts with a nice catch to end the 2nd. 2-0 Sox.

[markj]

AB blows a catch in foul territory.

[Schloicka]

AB blows a catch in foul territory.

Afraid of the wall. Was slowing down even before he got to foul ground. Price gets out of the 3rd. Still 2-0 Sox.

[markj]

Vaz drives in AB. 3-0.

[markj]

Sox keep the line moving. Lin drives in JBJ. 4-0.

[Schloicka]

Betts and Pedroia leaving runners on. 0-4 between them. Our 8 & 9 hitters Vazquez & Lin are 4-4. 3 RBI between them. Need to get them in.

[markj]

Wow, Benintendi atones for his earlier miss in a big way. That was one heck of a catch.