SB Nation Boston - Rangers 5, Red Sox 3: Josh Beckett Surrenders Early Lead, Sox Fall Yet Againhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2012-07-25T23:02:28-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/29424172012-07-25T23:02:28-04:002012-07-25T23:02:28-04:00Red Sox Vs. Rangers Final Score: Josh Beckett Loses Early Lead, Sox Fall 5-3
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<p>The Red Sox suffered their fifth loss in six games Wednesday night, falling to the Rangers 5-3 and dropping below .500 yet again.</p>
<p>For the second straight night the Red Sox actually managed to take an early lead. A first-and-third, no outs situation in the first would only result in the one run as Dustin Pedroia grounded into a double play, but with Beckett managing to hold the Rangers down in the bottom of the inning, it was a welcome change to the standard order of events in opening innings.</p>
<p>While Josh Beckett would waver over the next couple of innings, loading the bases in the third, he would manage to preserve the lead headed into the fourth, where Derek Holland gave Will Middlebrooks something to hit inside. The third baseman turned on the offering, and made it 2-0 with his twelfth homer of the season.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the bottom of the inning would prove Beckett's undoing. A pair of early doubles quickly got the Rangers on the board, and a single and squeeze play would bring in the tying run. With a bloop dropping into right field despite a sliding attempt from Cody Ross, the Rangers took a 3-2 lead.</p>
<p>Dustin Pedroia would get the Sox back into things with a solo shot in the sixth, but the tie would not last long. Facing his seventh inning, Beckett plunked Elvis Andrus with one out and then gave up a single to Adrian Beltre, allowing Andrus to reach third. All it took from there was one pitch in the dirt and past Kelly Shoppach to give the Rangers the lead. A Nelson Cruz homer off of Matt Albers in the eighth extended the lead to 5-3, where Joe Nathan would hold it with a 1-2-3 ninth.</p>
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 7.25.2012 </span> </th> <th> 1 </th> <th> 2 </th> <th> 3 </th> <th> 4 </th> <th> 5 </th> <th> 6 </th> <th> 7 </th> <th> 8 </th> <th> 9 </th> <th>R</th>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> </span></td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">3</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>X</td>
<td class="highlight">5</td>
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https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/25/3187776/red-sox-vs-rangers-final-score-josh-beckett-loses-early-lead-sox-fallBenjamin Buchanan2012-07-25T20:29:30-04:002012-07-25T20:29:30-04:00Red Sox Vs. Rangers Live Blog: Inning By Inning Updates For Game 3
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<p>The Red Sox and Rangers are set to wrap up their series with a rubber match in game three. We'll keep you up-to-date on all the action as it goes down in Rangers Ballpark.</p>
<p><b>Rangers 5, Red Sox 3, End 8th -- </b>Matt Albers continues to throw hanging breaking balls and sinkers, but he's not getting away with it nearly so well these days. Nelson Cruz takes him out of the park to right field on the second pitch he sees, giving the Rangers a helpful insurance run headed to the ninth.</p>
<p><b>Rangers 4, Red Sox 3, Mid 8th -- </b>The Sox tease with the appearance of a rally, but don't provide the run that would make it legitimate, as Pedro Ciriaco is left stranded when Dustin Pedroia hits a long drive to left that David Murphy is able to catch over his shoulder on the run to end the inning.</p>
<p><b>Rangers 4, Red Sox 3, End 7th -- </b>Ah, Red Sox baseball. Or rather, Red Sox baseball since August 2012, just finding ways to lose. Josh Beckett, after putting up back-to-back 1-2-3 innings, gets an out on a ground ball and then plunks Elvis Andrus to put the go-ahead run on first. A strikeout of Josh Hamilton gets Beckett his second out, but Adrian Beltre adds a single into right to put runners on the corners. And while Beckett does manage to get the next batter out, it only comes after a pitch in the dirt and to the wall allows Andrus to come home, giving the Rangers the lead and putting the Sox six outs away from falling back beneath .500. </p>
<p><b>Red Sox 3, Rangers 3, Mid 7th -- </b>Not only does Derek Holland get back to scoreless innings, but he actually strikes out the side in the seventh, getting Kelly Shoppach for the third time tonight.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 3, Rangers 3, End 6th -- </b>Josh Beckett preserves the tie by getting a trio of ground balls from the bottom of the order. At 90 pitches through six innings, he probably has at least one more left in him.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 3, Rangers 3, Mid 6th -- </b>Six innings in and we're back to even. Dustin Pedroia does the honors of evening things up for the Sox, taking what looked like a slider that just didn't break and driving it over the wall in left-center for a solo shot.</p>
<p><b>Rangers 3, Red Sox 2, End 5th -- </b>Josh Beckett, at least, is capable of rebounding, getting his first 1-2-3 inning of the night to keep Texas in reach.<b> </b></p>
<p><b>Rangers 3, Red Sox 2, Mid 5th -- </b>And the Red Sox respond...by not getting the ball out of the infield in a 1-2-3 frame.</p>
<p><b>Rangers 3, Red Sox 2, End 4th -- </b>Well, there's the Josh Beckett we all know and--</p>
<p>Hm...</p>
<p>Well, there's the Josh Beckett we all know. After barely getting out of the third unscathed, Beckett finds himself knocked around Arlington in the fourth. A leadoff double to the wall in right gets things started, and another to left-center with one out brings in the first Texas run of the night. A single to left doesn't bring the tying run home from second, but a Craig Gentry squeeze does in the next at bat, and before Beckett can pick up the third out, the Rangers grab a third run, this time on an Ian Kinsler bloop that a sliding Cody Ross can't come up with. Just like that, and the Sox are down.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 2, Rangers 0, Mid 4th -- </b>For a while there, pitchers had Will Middlebrooks all figured out. "Oh, we'll go away from him! Offspeed stuff low-and-away every time! He can't hit it!" But then Will Middlebrooks started hitting a few singles, maybe a double, taking those pitches low-and-away and knocking them into the opposite field. Seeing this, Derek Holland clearly thought to himself "well now he won't be expecting me to pitch inside" and gave it a go.</p>
<p>Will Middlebrooks took his changeup and he hit it into the stands for a solo shot. And now everybody has learned a lesson. Except probably Wily Mo Pena.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, End 3rd -- </b>Once again the defense picks Josh Beckett up. After leadoff singles from Yorvit Torrealba and Craig Gentry put runners on the corners with zero outs, the one-run lead seemed doomed. However, a shallowish fly to right field just drew a bluff and an advance to second thanks to the threat of Cody Ross' arm, and on a ground ball to second Dustin Pedroia elected to go home. Kelly Shoppach kept Torrealba away from the plate long enough for the umpire to call him out for starting towards the dugout (he would try to reverse course and slide into the plate, but it was too late by then), and after a walk loaded the bases, a pop-up finally ended the threat.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, Mid 3rd -- </b>Dustin Pedroia displays warning track power, but that's as close as the Red Sox get to any actual offense in a 1-2-3 third.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, End 2nd -- </b>A bit of hard contact to start the inning, but Adrian Beltre's line drive ends up in Jacoby Ellsbury's glove and Michael Young managed just a single with his, allowing Beckett to end another scoreless inning with a ground ball and strike out.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, Mid 2nd -- </b>A terrible pop-up bunt from Carl Crawford puts a stop to a possible second-inning attack as the Sox strand Will Middlebrooks at first after a leadoff single.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, End 1st -- </b>Josh Beckett provides the Sox with a welcome scoreless first, though he has to rely on a little help from Kelly Shoppach to do so. After Elvis Andrus reached on a one-out walk, he tried to take off for second, but was caught by a mile as Shoppach fired an absolute bullet right on the mark to Mike Aviles. One ground ball later, and the Sox were out of the first.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, Mid 1st -- </b>The Red Sox strike in the first inning--a welcome change against lefties--but don't really take full advantage of their opportunities. With a leadoff walk from Jacoby Ellsbury and seeing-eye single past first base for Pedro Ciriaco, the Sox had runners on the corners without a single out recorded. Dustin Pedroia, however, was perhaps overeager, swinging at the first pitch he saw and hitting a ground ball to short to start a double play. The run came in the back door, but now with two on and the bases empty the Rangers were free to drill Adrian Gonzalez in the hip--likely retaliation for the Adrian Beltre headshot from the night before--and get Cody Ross swinging (and accidentally losing his bat into the stands) to end the inning.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/25/3187444/red-sox-vs-rangers-live-blog-inning-by-inning-updates-for-game-3Benjamin Buchanan2012-07-25T17:55:21-04:002012-07-25T17:55:21-04:00Red Sox Vs. Rangers Lineups: Carl Crawford Stays At Seventh Against Derek Holland
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<p>The Red Sox are out to grab a series win against the Texas Rangers Wednesday night as they wrap up their three-game set in Arlington. First pitch is at 8:05 p.m. EST with broadcasts on NESN and WEEI.</p>
<p>It's more of the same for the Red Sox against the left-handed Derek Holland, which means Carl Crawford batting seventh, Pedro Ciriaco at DH batting second, and Kelly Shoppach behind the plate hitting eighth. </p>
<p>This despite the fact that in Tuesday night's game they were held down for some eight innings, scoring one run and even that on a bad defensive play. It's probably the right thing to do, since these right-handed hitters are the guys who have to get things done against southpaws, but after getting shut down so often this past week the Sox' lineup against lefties has to start producing <i>sometime</i>. </p>
<p><b>Boston Red Sox (49-49)</b></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jacoby Ellsbury, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Pedro Ciriaco, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Dustin Pedroia, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Adrian Gonzalez, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Cody Ross, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Will Middlebrooks, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Carl Crawford, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Kelly Shoppach, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Mike Aviles, SS</span></li>
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<p><b>Texas Rangers (57-39)</b></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ian Kinsler, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Elvis Andrus, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Josh Hamilton, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Adrian Beltre, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Michael Young, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Nelson Cruz, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">David Murphy, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Yorvit Torrealba, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Craig Gentry, CF</span></li>
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<p class="game-title"><a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> <br> <span>@ <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></p>
<p class="game-info"><span>Wednesday, Jul 25, 2012, 8:05 PM EDT</span><br> Rangers Ballpark in Arlington</p>
<p class="pitchers"><span>Josh Beckett</span> vs <span>Derek Holland</span></p>
<p class="weather"> Clear. Winds blowing in from right field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 95.</p>
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<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">For more on the Red Sox, be sure to check out our blog <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #193270; font-weight: bold;" href="http://overthemonster.com/">Over The Monster</a> and <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #193270; font-weight: bold;" href="http://boston.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Boston</a> for all the latest news and updates.</i></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/25/3187120/red-sox-vs-rangers-lineups-carl-crawford-stays-at-seventh-againstBenjamin Buchanan2012-07-25T15:53:17-04:002012-07-25T15:53:17-04:00MLB Trade Rumors: Jon Lester Not On Trading Block Despite Struggles
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<p>It still hard to tell whether or not the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> will choose to be buyers or sellers at the MLB trade deadline (July 31). But one thing is for certain, , <a href="http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=8198955&i=TWT&w=1bzf0&wjb">ESPN.com's Gordon Edes is reporting</a>, Red Sox starting pitcher <span>Jon Lester</span> is not on the trading block.</p>
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<p>Despite his disappointing performance, the Red Sox will not trade Lester, a major league source said Wednesday, further reinforcing the team's decision to push for a playoff spot in 2012.</p>
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<p>Currently, the left-hander is carrying a career-worst ERA of 5.46 and is coming off his worst MLB outing -- a four-inning, 10-hit, 11-run performance against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a>.</p>
<p>"[My confidence] obviously not as high as its highest it’s ever been," <a href="http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2012/07/22/jon-lester-hard-for-me-to-walk-around-clubhouse-and-look-guys-in-the-eye-right-now/">Lester told the Boston media on Sunday</a>. "The thing is no one is going to feel sorry for me. I have to go out and pitch better. I have to pitch better. I’m not worried about my confidence, I’m not worried about my mechanics. I’m not worried about anything but just trying to execute pitches, and I’m not doing that."</p>
<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;">For more on the Red Sox, be sure to check out our blog <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #193270; font-weight: bold;" href="http://overthemonster.com/">Over The Monster</a> and <a style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #193270; font-weight: bold;" href="http://boston.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Boston</a> for all the latest news and updates.</i></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/25/3186850/mlb-trade-rumors-2012-jon-lester-boston-red-sox-mlb-trade-deadlineJared Smith2012-07-25T00:43:23-04:002012-07-25T00:43:23-04:00Red Sox Vs. Rangers Final Score: Sox Rally Late For 2-1 Win
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<p>The Red Sox grabbed a 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers, snapping their four-game losing streak with a late rally against Joe Nathan.</p>
<p>For much of the early game, it was the same old story for the Red Sox offense against a replacement starter for the Rangers. Martin Perez, who has been struggling this year in Triple-A, managed to escape trouble in the second, had a bad defensive play in right gift the Red Sox a run, and then held them scoreless through the end of the sixth.</p>
<p>Clay Buchholz, meanwhile, was largely up to the task of matching him, reinforcing his position as the current leader of the rotation. While he didn't have the strikeout going at all, Buchholz still managed to pick up 12 ground outs including a couple of double plays, thus keeping the Rangers from making up their deficit.</p>
<p>Eventually, though, the Rangers would manage to put Elvis Andrus on second early enough for him to move to third on a wild pitch with one out, and then score on a ground ball, tying it at 1-1.</p>
<p>The Red Sox would never really show up offensively, but the relief pitching held (albeit with Vicente Padilla hitting Adrian Beltre in the head), allowing the Red Sox an opportunity in the ninth. Up against Joe Nathan, the Sox quickly gave up their first two outs, and then started drawing walks. Daniel Nava came first, Jarrod Saltalamacchia second, and up stepped Mike Aviles. Facing a 3-2 count, Aviles sent a flare just over the head of Elvis Andrus at short, giving the Sox the lead they'd sought for so long. Alfredo Aceves was able to shut it down in the bottom half of the ninth, giving the Sox the much-needed 2-1 win.</p>
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 7.24.2012 </span> </th> <th> 1 </th> <th> 2 </th> <th> 3 </th> <th> 4 </th> <th> 5 </th> <th> 6 </th> <th> 7 </th> <th> 8 </th> <th> 9 </th> <th>R</th> <th>H</th> <th>E</th>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td class="highlight">2</td>
<td class="highlight">6</td>
<td class="highlight">2</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
<td class="highlight">5</td>
<td class="highlight">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="13">WP: Vicente Padilla (4 - 0) <br> SV: Alfredo Aceves (21) <br> LP: Joe Nathan (1 - 3)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For more on the Red Sox, be sure to check out our blog <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #193270; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://overthemonster.com/">Over The Monster</a> and <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #193270; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://boston.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Boston</a> for all the latest news and updates.</i></span></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/25/3185400/red-sox-vs-rangers-final-score-sox-rally-late-for-2-1-winBenjamin Buchanan2012-07-24T20:42:04-04:002012-07-24T20:42:04-04:00Red Sox Vs. Rangers Live Blog: Inning By Inning Updates For Game 2
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<p><b>Red Sox 2, Rangers 1, Mid 9th -- </b>The Red Sox finally get back on the board against Joe Nathan, taking a 2-1 lead in the ninth. All the damage comes with two outs, as both Daniel Nava and Jarrod Saltalamacchia draw walks. Mike Aviles steps up to the plate, works a long at-bat, running the count full, and then gets a slider he just barely manages to hit, putting it on a line up over the head of the leaping Elvis Andrus to drive in the one run.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 1, End 8th -- </b>The Rangers manage to put a couple men on base with two outs, including one when Vicente Padilla catches Adrian Beltre on the helmet with a fastball, but Michael Young grounds out to end the frame uneventfully.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 1, Mid 8th -- </b>Dustin Pedroia's line drive is about all the Sox can claim credit for in the eighth, and it ends up in Elvis Andrus' glove, leaving them victims of another 1-2-3 inning and still with just two games against the Rangers despite a pair of replacement starters.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 1, End 7th -- </b>Without explanation, Carl Crawford is out of the game in left field, with Daniel Nava entering in his place. The Rangers get a couple of walks in the meantime, but Clay manages to finish what is almost certainly his last inning without further incident.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 1, Mid 7th -- </b>Strikeout, ground out, fly out ends the seventh in a hurry as Alexi Ogando places Martin Perez.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 1, End 6th -- </b>And the Rangers finally strike back. You can't expect Texas to be held down for too long, and when you let a guy like Perez off the hook over and over again, they'll get him the one run he needs for a tie. Elvis Andrus provides the baserunner with a one-out double, and a wild pitch moves him to third before a ground ball past Clay Buchholz to Mike Aviles, who elects to go to first for the second out and letting the equalizing run in.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, Mid 6th -- </b>A 2-out single from Will Middlebrooks gives him his second hit of the night, but the Sox still can't get anything else across against Martin Perez.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, End 5th --</b> David Murphy doubles and Mike Napoli walks, putting the Sox in a bad position with one out, but Buchholz gets a ground ball from Craig Gentry, giving the Sox an inning-ending double play.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, Mid 5th -- </b>Adrian Beltre makes an excellent play on a bunt from Pedro Ciriaco, stealing a single from the infielder in a 1-2-3 fifth.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, End 4th -- </b>Adrian Beltre has a weird two-out double, as Jacoby Ellsbury can't quite make a sliding grab on a shallow fly ball. Beltre manages to head to second and just barely--depending on who you ask--avoid a tag from Dustin Pedroia.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 1, Rangers 0, Mid 4th -- </b>The Red Sox finally score, but it's only thanks to a bad defensive play in right field. With Cody Ross on base via a walk and two outs, Kelly Shoppach hit a long fly ball to right field. David Murphy, however, got a poor read, and never truly recovered, resulting in a dropped ball at the wall and a run scoring all the way from first.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 0, Rangers 0, End 3rd -- </b>A leadoff single gives the Rangers their first hit of the game, and an error lets another batter reach, but a double play erases the leadoff, and another ground ball gets Buchholz out of harm's way.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 0, Rangers 0, Mid 3rd -- </b>If Martin Perez was shaken at all by the second inning, he isn't showing it. Jacoby Ellsbury grounds up the middle for a leadoff single, but Perez gets the rest of the Sox in order, leaving them scoreless for a tenth straight inning.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 0, Rangers 0, End 2nd -- </b>The Red Sox don't face nearly as much danger in the bottom of the inning, as Clay Buchholz earns a quick trio of ground outs to keep the Rangers down another inning.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 0, Rangers 0, Mid 2nd -- </b>The Sox threaten to break through against Martin Perez, with singles from Adrian Gonzalez and Will Middlebrooks and a walk from Kelly Shoppach loading the bases with two outs. Mike Aviles works a decent at-bat, and almost draws the walk, but can only muster a fly ball to right field, ending the inning uneventfully.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 0, Rangers 0, End 1st -- </b>Clay Buchholz has an uninspiring start to the game, plunking leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler right out of the gates. Unfortunately for Kinsler, Buchholz manages to throw over to first and--controversially--pick him off. Two fly balls later, and Buchholz technically has a 1-2-3.</p>
<p><b>Red Sox 0, Rangers 0, Mid 1st -- </b>The Red Sox are off to another slow start against a struggling minor leaguer, but at least this time it involves some contact. The top of the order goes 1-2-3 against Martin Perez with a fly ball, ground ball, and another fly makes it a 10-pitch start for the lefty.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3185021/red-sox-vs-rangers-live-blog-inning-by-inning-updates-for-game-2Benjamin Buchanan2012-07-24T17:03:09-04:002012-07-24T17:03:09-04:00Red Sox Vs. Rangers Lineups: Carl Crawford Bats Seventh Against Lefty
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<p>The Red Sox are out to snap a four-game losing streak that has once again put them below .500 as they take on Martin Perez and the Texas Rangers. First pitch is at 8:05 p.m. EST with broadcasts on NESN, the MLB Network, and WEEI.</p>
<p>Just a few short days ago a story emerged about how Carl Crawford felt like he had not been given a fair chance in 2011, demoted well down into the bottom half of the lineup after a few bad games by manager Terry Francona. Said narrative led to stories about Bobby V and Carl Crawford getting along, and how things could be different.</p>
<p>Well, welcome to the seven-hole, Carl. Seven games into his injury-delayed season, and Crawford once again finds himself well down in the order.</p>
<p>To be fair, this is likely part of a lineup shuffle specifically designed for the lefty they'll face in Martin Perez, who has been entirely mediocre in Triple-A this year (a red flag that he could dominate the Red Sox based on recent trends). Crawford will almost certainly be back to batting second come the night right-handed starter, but still, given the timing, it's an almost comical change.</p>
<p><b>Boston Red Sox (48-49)</b></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Jacoby Ellsbury, CF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Pedro Ciriaco, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Dustin Pedroia, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Adrian Gonzalez, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Cody Ross, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Will Middlebrooks, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Carl Crawford, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Kelly Shoppach, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Mike Aviles, SS</span></li>
</ol>
<p><b>Texas Rangers (57-38)</b></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Ian Kinsler, 2B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Elvis Andrus, SS</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Josh Hamilton, LF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Adrian Beltre, 3B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Michael Young, 1B</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Nelson Cruz, DH</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">David Murphy, RF</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Mike Napoli, C</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Craig Gentry, CF</span></li>
</ol>
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<p class="game-title"><a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> <br> <span>@ <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></p>
<p class="game-info"><span>Tuesday, Jul 24, 2012, 8:05 PM EDT</span><br> Rangers Ballpark in Arlington</p>
<p class="pitchers"><span>Clay Buchholz</span> vs <span>Martin Perez</span></p>
<p class="weather"> Mostly clear. Winds blowing in from center field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 95.</p>
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https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/24/3184581/red-sox-vs-rangers-lineups-carl-crawford-bats-seventh-against-leftyBenjamin Buchanan2012-07-23T23:19:53-04:002012-07-23T23:19:53-04:00Red Sox Vs. Rangers Final Score: Rangers Embarrass Red Sox In 9-1 Rout
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<p>In what was supposed to be the most winnable game of this three-game series, the Red Sox were utterly crushed by the Texas Rangers, 9-1.</p>
<p>With Felix Doubront going up against Scott Feldman (who started the night with an ERA approaching 6.00), a substitute for Roy Oswalt, who was scratched with a tight lower back, the Sox just needed to play up to their level against a struggling starter. Even with a mediocre Doubront outing, they should have had a good shot.</p>
<p>Instead, they were almost completely silent against one of the most mediocre arms they're likely to run into on a contending team like this. A second-inning home run from Jarrod Saltalamacchia would put the team up 1-0, and then...nothing. Allowing baserunners one at a time, Feldman held the Red Sox down in the third, then the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh. It was a terrible offensive showing from what is supposed to be one of the best lineups in the majors.</p>
<p>Even had the Sox' bats been alive, however, it would likely have made no difference, because Doubront wasn't even mediocre. After being bailed out by a tremendous play from Will Middlebrooks in the first, Doubront managed to dig himself out of a hole in the second, and then finally fell completely apart in the third. Hard-hit infield singles got things started before hard line drives dealt the killing blows, leaving the Sox in a 4-1 hole after three.</p>
<p>While Doubront would bounce back for a short time, he would once again struggle in the sixth, surrendering a two-run homer to Mike Napoli before recording an out. In came Franklin Morales, showing all the struggles one might expect from someone jerked back and forth from the bullpen (where he was struggling) to the rotation (where he was not) back to the bullpen in little over a month. By the time the long inning was at an end, the Sox trailed by 9-1--a gap they would not close as the night wound down.</p>
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 7.23.2012 </span> </th> <th> 1 </th> <th> 2 </th> <th> 3 </th> <th> 4 </th> <th> 5 </th> <th> 6 </th> <th> 7 </th> <th> 8 </th> <th> 9 </th> <th>R</th>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>X</td>
<td class="highlight">9</td>
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https://boston.sbnation.com/2012/7/23/3180454/red-sox-vs-rangers-final-score-rangers-embarrass-red-sox-in-9-1-routBenjamin Buchanan