Texas @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 11, 2014 ) Boston 5, Texas 2

The Boston Red Sox were built to pound opposing pitching staffs into submission but are barely scraping out one or two runs as they flounder below .500. The Red Sox will try to turn things around on offense when they open a six-game homestand by hosting the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

Boston closed out a 5-5 road trip with a whimper when it was shut out 5-0 by the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, marking the seventh time on the 10-game trip that the offense managed two or fewer runs. The Red Sox are last in the American League with a .201 batting average with runners in scoring position and went 2-for-20 in that situation in four games at Seattle. The Rangers’ pitching staff has been handing out crooked numbers to opposing offenses but snapped a three-game slide with a 5-1 win over Cleveland on Sunday. Texas pitchers had surrendered a total of 24 runs in the previous three games but manager Jeff Banister decided to shake up the bullpen on Sunday and got strong performances from Tanner Scheppers and Ross Ohlendorf after the two were recalled.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Southwest (Texas), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yovani Gallardo (3-5, 3.94 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Wade Miley (2-4, 5.60)

Gallardo snapped a four-start losing streak by limiting the Kansas City Royals to two runs and six hits in seven innings on Wednesday. The Mexico native has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last seven outings but was struggling to get run support before Wednesday’s win. Gallardo is 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in two career starts against Boston, including a win at Fenway Park when he was with Milwaukee last season.

Miley is settling in on his first trip around the American League and posted his best outing of the season at Oakland on Wednesday, scattering five hits and four walks over 6 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up a win. That victory snapped a three-start losing streak, during which the Louisiana native was reached for a total of 13 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings. Miley lost his only previous start against Texas despite allowing one run and striking out eight in 7 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox CF Mookie Betts is 1-for-20 over the last six games.

2. Texas 1B Prince Fielder is 11-for-28 during a seven-game hitting streak.

3. Cuban INF Yoan Moncada, who received a $31.5 million signing bonus in the offseason, made his minor-league debut for Boston on Monday.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Red Sox 3