G93: Rangers 4, Red Sox 2

Red Sox - 000 001 001 - 2  5  0
Rangers - 200 000 11x - 4  7  0

So ... race you to the Tobin.

Texas jumped on Beckett for two quick runs in the first -- Kinsler double, Jones two-out walk, double steal (Varitek did not even get out of his crouch, grrr), Blalock two-run single.

Beckett then set down the next 14 batters, but the Red Sox could do little with Hunter during that time. Hunter was also helped out by some great catches from Kinsler in foul territory and Byrd in right field.

Boston cut the lead to 2-1 when Pedroia singled with two outs in the sixth and Youkilis followed with a double to the gap in right-center. but Beckett allowed single runs in the seventh and eighth.

The closest the Red Sox came to tying the game was in the seventh. Down 2-1, two walks had put runners at first and second with one out. but Varitek struck out (yes, the last pitch was high in the zone) and Lowrie popped to short. Varitek was also the potential tying run with two outs in the ninth, but he grounded harmlessly to third.

No Red Sock had more than one hit. Jason Bay walked three times.

David Ortiz committed an astonishing stupid base-running gaffe leading off the second. He singled to right, and even with the play in front of him, tried to "run" for a double. He was thrown out by 15 feet. And NESN's Dave Roberts actually defended Flo's foolery, saying it was good move because he was "trying to create a spark". As though hitting a leadoff single wasn't any good.

The Yankees beat the Orioles 6-4, to push the Red Sox -- currently on a season-high four-game losing streak -- out of first for the first time since June 7 and are 1 GB.
Josh Beckett (3.35, 139 ERA+) / Tommy Hunter (2.35, 189 ERA+)

Beckett closed out the first half of the season on July 12 with a complete game, three-hit shutout of Kansas City. He will be pitching with nine days of rest. Even with two bad outings in his last ten starts, his ERA over that period is 1.72. ER allowed: 0, 1, 0, 0, 6, 0, 0, 5, 2, 0.

A rookie in both 2008 (three starts, 11 innings) and 2009, Hunter will be making his eighth major league start tonight.

The Boston bats remain quiet. The Red Sox hit .188/.255/.302 in the Toronto series, losing two of three. Last night's game brought their post-ASB line to .202/.257/.302.

Since June 24, Jason Bay is batting .149 and slugging .243 (21 games). ... J.D. Drew is 1-for-his-last-26. ... After a hot June, David Ortiz's hitting has gone back into hibernation: .218/.279/.509 in July (he has four doubles and four home runs among his 12 hits to boost his SLG).

Amalie Benjamin notes:

Friday night against the Blue Jays, Daniel Bard became the first Sox reliever to strike out at least three batters in three consecutive appearances since Alan Embree from Aug. 7-17 in 2002. The last Sox rookie reliever to do it was Craig Skok, in four straight games from July 17-Aug. 7 in 1973.

            W   L   PCT    GB
Red Sox    55  37  .598   ---
Yankees    55  37  .598   ---
Rays       51  42  .548   4.5
Blue Jays  46  47  .495   9.5
Orioles    41  51  .446  14.0

In New York, Sergio Mitre gets the ball against the Orioles. It will be his first major league appearance since September 15, 2007. 7 PM.