Texas @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2011 ) Texas 7, Boston 12

THE STORY: Thanks to an eight-run inning on Saturday, Boston hosts Texas in its series finale trailing the first-place New York Yankees by just a half-game in the AL East race. Things were beginning to look a bit bleak before Carl Crawford and Jarrod Saltalamacchia crushed home runs in the big fourth inning as Boston kept pace with the Yankees in the battle for the best record in the American League. Boston looks to win the three-game set against Texas when they send John Lackey to the hill opposite Matt Harrison at Fenway Park on Sunday. The Rangers are still in control of things in the AL West race.

TV: 1:35 p.m. TBS, NESN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Matt Harrison (10-9, 3.54 ERA) vs. John Lackey (12-10, 5.94 ERA).

Harrison was hammered by the Red Sox a couple of weeks ago. Boston lit up the lefty for 11 hits and seven runs in just five innings in a 13-2 win. Harrison has not picked up a win in his last four starts but has been quite dependable on the season. He is 2-1 against the Red Sox in his career, although his ERA was inflated by his latest debacle. The Rangers intend on limiting his workload to keep him fresh as the playoffs approach and skipped his last scheduled start.

Lackey became incensed in his last start when light-hitting catcher Francisco Cervelli homered against him and then clapped his hands as he approached home plate. Lackey promptly plunked Cervelli in his next plate appearance. Frustration has become the norm for Lackey, who has lost two of his last three starts after winning six straight decisions. Lackey beat the Rangers 11-5 in late August to improve to 12-13 lifetime against them.

ABOUT THE RED SOX (84-54): Boston has won just seven of its last 15 games at Fenway Park. Crawford returned to the lineup after missing Friday’s game with an illness to crack a huge grand slam in Boston’s eight-run fourth inning Saturday. Crawford has been a huge disappointment on the season but he does have a flair for the dramatic. He has several walk-off hits on the season and his grand slam was crucial. Jed Lowrie left Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury that manager Terry Francona said was more for preventative reasons. He is unlikely to play Sunday, and Marco Scutaro was given Saturday off for rest. Mike Aviles should play shortstop on Sunday.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (79-61): Ian Kinsler has become a Red Sox killer. The leadoff man cracked a three-run homer to break open Friday night’s game and entered Saturday 21 of 63 with eight homers in his last 16 games against Boston. He went 0-for-4 on Saturday. Texas has won eight of Harrison’s last 10 starts and is 9-4 in its last 13 road games. The Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Saturday but watched the Red Sox score a dozen unanswered runs to even the series at one game apiece. Texas finished with 11 hits in the game and got a mammoth homer from Esteban German in the ninth inning.

FINAL PITCH: Boston is 4-5 against Texas this season. For some reason Boston loves to play on Sunday, winning 22 of its last 26 games. Sunday will be the 702nd consecutive sellout at Fenway Park.