Texas @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2016 ) Texas 5, Boston 12

The Boston Red Sox responded to their most embarrassing loss with a pair of wins and will try to make it three in a row when they host the Texas Rangers in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday. The starting pitching is still not locking down opposing offenses, but the Red Sox offense is back to bludgeoning the opposing staff.

Boston was ripped 21-2 on Saturday at home by the last-place Los Angeles Angels in a game that manager John Farrell referred to as embarrassing in his brief postgame comments. The Red Sox ended up taking the finale on Sunday from the Angels 10-5 and responded to a step up in competition against American League West-leading Texas with a similar effort as every player in the lineup collected at least one of the team’s 21 hits, 13 of them going for extra bases and four of them leaving the yard, in Monday’s 12-5 triumph. The Rangers are going through similar issues with the pitching staff as the team tries to cover the loss of Yu Darvish (shoulder), Derek Holland (shoulder) and Colby Lewis (back) in the rotation. Texas has dropped five of its last six games and is allowing an average of nine runs in those setbacks.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH A.J. Griffin (3-0, 2.93 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH David Price (8-5, 4.74)

Griffin is still making his way back from shoulder stiffness that robbed him of six weeks and is steadily increasing his workload. The California native went five innings and 88 pitches in his second start back on Thursday, yielding one run on two hits while striking out eight at the New York Yankees. Griffin came off the disabled list to face Boston on June 25 and lasted 4 1/3 innings, surrendering two runs and four hits without factoring in the decision.

Price struck out 10 over 6 1/3 innings at Tampa Bay on Wednesday but was reached for four runs and nine hits while taking the loss. That effort marked a big step up from his previous start, when he went up against the Rangers on the road and could not get out of the third inning while serving up six runs on 12 hits. Price enjoyed a string of eight straight quality starts before falling off the pace in his last two outings and recorded 29 strikeouts and one walk over his past four turns.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox activated C Ryan Hanigan (neck) from the 15-day DL and optioned C Christian Vazquez to Triple-A Pawtucket.

2. Texas LHP Michael Roth made his team debut on Monday and was ripped for six runs on 10 hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

3. Boston DH David Ortiz increased his MLB-leading total to 34 doubles with two on Monday.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Rangers 4