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Red Sox-Rangers Preview

Aug 15, 2010 - 4:57 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Boston (66-51) at Texas (66-48), 3:05 p.m. EDT

C.J. Wilson already has beaten the Boston Red Sox twice this year. He's hoping to do it again while putting aside some recent control issues - the same thing that has plagued Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka.

The pitchers who usually battle similar problems with walks meet Sunday when the Texas Rangers and Red Sox finish their three-game series in Arlington.

Wilson (10-5, 3.30 ERA) is a major reason why Texas (66-49) has a comfortable lead atop the AL West. He leads the Rangers in victories in his first season as a full-time starter and is among the major league leaders with a .216 opponent batting average.

The converted reliever, though, already has nearly doubled his previous career high by throwing 141 2-3 innings. His 4.39 ratio of walks per nine innings is the highest in the AL, and control problems have limited Wilson in recent starts.

The left-hander has turned in two straight short outings, lasting a season-low three innings Aug. 4 and allowing four runs and four walks in an 11-6 victory at Seattle. He had three walks in 5 1-3 innings and gave up two runs Tuesday in a 4-3, 10-inning win over the New York Yankees.

Wilson has dominated the Red Sox (67-51) this year, going 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA despite seven walks over 13 1-3 innings. He leads the majors by limiting left-handed hitters to a .103 average, and Boston is hoping right-handed shortstop Jed Lowrie will return after missing Saturday's 3-1 victory due to heat exhaustion.

"C.J. Wilson's a nice guy to have some righties in there," manager Terry Francona told the Red Sox's official website. "We'll just see. I don't think it's going to be 70 and breezy tomorrow."

The Rangers have won Wilson's last five starts.

Boston has won five of the last six games started by Matsuzaka (8-3, 4.09), who is 3-0 with a 3.05 ERA in that stretch. He's issued 14 walks in his last five, and has a walks-per-nine-innings ratio of 4.27.

The right-hander lasted 5 2-3 innings Tuesday and did not get a decision in a 7-5 victory at Toronto. Since losing to Baltimore on May 1, Matsuzaka is 4-0 with a 3.44 ERA in his last nine road starts.

Matsuzaka is 3-1 with a 5.09 ERA in four starts against the Rangers, allowing seven hits in 11 at-bats to third baseman Michael Young.

Fortunately for the Red Sox, they will have a rested bullpen available after Jon Lester worked eight scoreless innings in Saturday's win that evened this series. With top relievers Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard unavailable after pitching in the previous two games, Francona used Scott Atchison and Felix Doubront to work the ninth as Boston avoided a third straight loss.

"We needed this game. ... and the next game. We need every game the rest of the year," second baseman Bill Hall said.

The Red Sox remained six games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East and four behind Tampa Bay for the wild card.

With Jacoby Ellsbury on the disabled list, Francona is juggling his options in center field. The likely starter Sunday will be right-handed hitter Darnell McDonald.