After falling 6-3 last night, the Boston Red Sox look to take the series this afternoon in the rubber game of a three-game set with the Texas Rangers at historic Fenway Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Rangers television market, you can catch the game on FOX Sports Southwest. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

After having his last start skipped due to back spasms, Josh Beckett returns to the bump to make his 19th start of 2012. In his previous 18 starts, Beckett is 5-9 with a 4.54 ERA. He’s made two starts against the Rangers this season and is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA (7 ER/14 IP). Overall in his career, Beckett has made 10 starts against the Rangers and is 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA. Four of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 0-2 with a 6.66 ERA.

Matt Harrison takes the ball for the 22nd time this season this afternoon. In his previous 21 starts, Harrison is 13-6 with a 3.17 ERA. He has not faced the Red Sox in 2012 and was 2-1 with a 4.74 ERA in three starts in 2011. Harrison has made seven appearances (five starts) against the local nine in his career and is 3-1 with a 6.10 ERA.  Three of those appearances (two starts) have come at the Fens where he is 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA (9 ER/12 IP).

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

64-45		55-56
1. Ian Kinsler	2B	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Elvis Andrus	SS	2. Carl Crawford	LF
3. Josh Hamilton	CF	3. Dustin Pedroia	2B
4. Adrian Beltre	3B	4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
5. Nelson Cruz	RF	5. Cody Ross	RF
6. Michael Young	DH	6. Will Middlebrooks	3B
7. David Murphy	LF	7. Ryan Lavarnway	DH
8. Geovany Soto	C	8. Kelly Shoppach	C
9. Mitch Moreland	1B	9. Pedro Ciriaco	SS
Matt Harrison	SP	Josh Beckett	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

NOTES: Vicente Padilla has been placed on the 15-day DL with arm soreness. He’s been replaced on the 25-man roster by Clayton Mortensen.

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

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Lester is at a loss (his 10th) after another tough outing [boston globe]

Ortiz planning a weekend comeback [boston globe]

Jon Lester bad enough [boston herald]

David Ortiz on deck [boston herald]

All tangled up in blue [boston herald]

Josh Beckett talks good game in radio interview [boston herald]

Herald readers: Let’s keep Bobby Valentine [boston herald]

Lester, Sox falter down the stretch, lose to Rangers, 6-3 [csn new england]

Valentine: ‘We just didn’t get the breaks’ [csn new england]

Pedroia loses cool after called strike three, gets tossed [csn new england]

Middlebrooks pinch-hit homer a bright spot in loss [csn new england]

Lester coming around, although results don’t show it [csn new england]

State of the Sox notebook: August 7, 2012 [csn new england]

Red Sox in Outer Space [csn new england]

Padilla to DL, Mortensen called back up [csn new england]

Bobby V.: Nobody went ‘up the back stairs’ [csn new england]

Pedroia, umpire meet again at plate [csn new england]

Hits just keep on coming for AGon [espn boston]

Rapid Reaction: Rangers 6, Red Sox 3 [espn boston]

Josh Beckett may need Boston Red Sox fans on his side [espn boston]

Should Bobby V trust vote of confidence? [espn boston]

Valentine thinks Sox are playoff team [espn boston]

Bobby V. rejects this second-guess [espn boston]

Olt fan catches Middlebrooks’ home run [espn boston]

Vicente Padilla to DL, Mortensen up from Triple A [extra bases]

Closing Time: Jon Lester, Red Sox continue to tread water with loss to Rangers [full count]

David Ortiz comes to the defense of Josh Beckett [full count]

Bobby Valentine on D&C: Players show too much frustration with umpires [full count]

Ryan Lavarnway named best defensive catcher in International League; Jackie Bradley Jr. best everything in Carolina League [full count]

Rich Hill Will Travel to Fort Myers on Wednesday to Begin Rehab Process [nesn.com]

Daisuke Matsuzaka Hopes to Go Deeper Into Game in Next Rehab Start [nesn.com]

Franklin Morales Scheduled to Start Saturday, Aaron Cook’s Turn Pushed Back as Bobby Valentine Shuffles Rotation [nesn.com]

Bobby Valentine Hears Fenway Faithful Chant His Name Days After Calling for His Job [nesn.com]

Red Sox Angry With Umpire’s Decision in the Eighth, Prompts Jon Lester to Deem It ‘A Bad Call’ [nesn.com]

Jon Lester Displays Improvement on Mound but Lack of Run Support Hurts His Cause [nesn.com]

Red Sox Place Vicente Padilla on 15-Day Disabled List As Precaution With Biceps Soreness [nesn.com]

Should the Red Sox Consider Using a Six-Man Rotation the Rest of This Season? [nesn.com]

Valentine: Big finish very possible for Red Sox [projo sox blog]

Padilla to disabled list, Mortensen called up [projo sox blog]

Andrews tells Atchison he doesn’t need surgery [redsox.com]

Beckett looks to deliver series win for Red Sox [redsox.com]

Out of lineup, Middlebrooks hits first pinch-hit homer [redsox.com]

Pedroia unhappy about call, ejected inning later [redsox.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

photo credits: reuters pictures, getty images

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

UConn Will Be Without Big DT Shamar Stephen For A Minute; News And Notes From First Practice In Pads [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Smallwood working his way back; Stephen sidelined [jim fuller – new haven register]

Terry Baltimore Cup Quarterfinals: Kashif Moore’s one-handed catch vs. Greg Lloyd’s massive hit [the uconn blog]

Terry Baltimore Cup Quarterfinals: Larry Taylor’s fake fair catch vs. Jordan Todman’s fourth-down conversion [the uconn blog]

Football Holds First Practice in Full Pads [uconnhuskies.com]

Bennett working toward plugging a hole in UConn offensive line [ct post]

UConn DT Shamar Stephen Injured, No Timetable For Return [hartford courant]

Yawin Smallwood is getting back in the flow [new haven register]

UConn defensive linemen watched and learned [the day]

Huskies trying to close gap on defensive line [the hour]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Auriemma Comments On Engeln’s Decision To Transfer [rich elliott – ct post]

USA Downs Canada, 91-48, in Quarterfinals of Olympics [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Recruits overwhelmingly like Ollie as part of UConn’s future [ct post]

Jim Calhoun Out Of Hospital; Coach Says He’ll Keep Biking [hartford courant]

Jim Calhoun talks about hip injury [new haven register]

Roscoe Smith a picture of calm amid the uncertainty about his immediate eligibility [las vegas sun]

Jim Calhoun’s injury, indecision put UConn in jeopardy [sporting news]

Other UConn related links

W. Soccer. Huskies Selected to Finish Second in BIG EAST Preseason Poll [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Soccer. Men’s Soccer Student Season Ticket Package Available [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Soccer. Men’s Soccer No. 4 In NSCAA Preseason Poll [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Track. Phylicia George Finishes Sixth in 100mH in London [uconnhuskies.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

After taking the first game 9-2 last night, the Boston Red Sox look to take the series tonight in the second game of a three-game set with the Texas Rangers at historic Fenway Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Rangers television market, you can catch the game on FOX Sports Southwest. And if you don’t live in either market you’re in luck as the MLB Network will have coverage of the game (outside of Red Sox and Rangers television markets). If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Jon Lester looks to build off his last start in his 23rd start of 2012. In his previous 22 starts, Lester is 5-9 with a 5.36 ERA. He took the loss in his only start of 2012 against the Rangers after allowing seven runs in two innings of work back on April 17th. Lester has made nine career starts against the Rangers and is 3-2 with a 4.47 ERA. Six of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 2-2 with a 4.86 ERA.

Ryan Dempster makes his second start for the Rangers since coming over from the Chicago Cubs and his 17th overall. In his previous 16 starts, Dempster is 5-5 with a 2.82 ERA. He faced the Red Sox earlier this year as a member of the Cubs and earned the win after throwing seven shutout innings back on June 15th. Dempster has made five career appearances (four starts) against the local nine and is 2-1 with a 5.11 ERA. Two of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 0-1 with a 10.24 ERA (11 ER/9.2 IP).

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

63-44		54-55
1. Ian Kinsler	2B	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Elvis Andrus	SS	2. Carl Crawford	LF
3. Josh Hamilton	CF	3. Dustin Pedroia	2B
4. Adrian Beltre	3B	4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
5. Nelson Cruz	RF	5. Cody Ross	DH
6. Michael Young	DH	6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
7. Geovany Soto	C	7. Mike Aviles	SS
8. David Murphy	LF	8. Ryan Kalish	RF
9. Mike Olt	1B	9. Nick Punto	3B
Ryan Dempster	SP	Jon Lester	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

NOTES:

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

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Ortiz eyeing possible return in Cleveland [rob bradford – weei.com]

David Ortiz feeling better, hopeful of being ready to play by Sunday [clubhouse insider]

Beckett: I’m happy, healthy, and not changing for the media [csn new england]

Youkilis’ charity steps up for N.H. youth league [csn new england]

Atchison told to rest; believes he can pitch again this year [csn new england]

Quick pregame notes: Ortiz takes BP [csn new england]

Ortiz feeling better, expects to play Sunday vs. Indians [csn new england]

Sox pregame notes: Beckett to pitch Wednesday [csn new england]

Time for Lucchino to go [csn new england]

Beckett: I’m ready to return Wednesday [espn boston]

Patience, patience: Sox not taking walks [espn boston]

Ortiz puts on a show in BP [espn boston]

Atchison opts out of surgery, eyes return [espn boston]

Injury bug worst in at least 41 seasons [espn boston]

Wild card opportunity still there for the Red Sox [extra bases]

Scott Atchison optimistic Tommy John surgery not needed [extra bases]

Ortiz optimistic about playing this weekend [extra bases]

A not-so-toolsy time for the Red Sox [full count]

Josh Beckett: Happy in Boston, Red Sox’ clubhouse ‘the exact opposite’ of dysfunctional [full count]

Scott Atchison Avoids Tommy John Surgery, Hopes to Bolster Bullpen After Getting More Rest [nesn.com]

Elvis Andrus’ Hot Bat Returns to Rangers Lineup as Adrian Gonzalez Continues Scorched-Earth Hitting for Red Sox [nesn.com]

David Ortiz Running Faster After Injection, Eyes Return Against Cleveland [nesn.com]

Pedro Ciriaco Making Strong Case to Become Staple in Red Sox Lineup for Years to Come [don orsillo – nesn.com]

Branford’s Mike Olt making good impression with Texas Rangers [new haven register]

Atchison won’t undergo surgery on tear in elbow [projo sox blog]

Ortiz making progress, could be activated this weekend [projo sox blog]

Middlebrooks gets a day off [projo sox blog]

Lester wants payback against Texas [redsox.com]

No surgery for Atchison; return possible [alex speier – weei.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

photo credits: ap photo, getty images

Is this the Boston Red Sox team we all expected this season? Or is this the Red Sox team that will get our hopes up only to dash them like teams of the past?

And while we’re at it, is this the Carl Crawford that the Red Sox expected to get when they signed him to a seven-year, $142 million deal? Crawford went 2-for-4 with three RBIs to help the Red Sox to a 9-2 win over the Texas Rangers.

Crawford was only part of the reason why the Red Sox won big though last night. Aaron Cook played a big part shutting down the powerful offense of the Rangers. Plus the top four of the order was 11-for-18 with eight RBIs. Eight of those hits were doubles.

The Red Sox offense was facing Japanese phenom Yu Darvish for the first time. While he didn’t exactly shut them down in the first two innings, he did keep them off the scoreboard. But once the Red Sox got a look at him one time through, they made their push in the 3rd inning.

Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a double and came into score on a Crawford double. After a Dustin Pedroia groundout, Adrian Gonzalez doubled in Crawford to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. In the 4th after a Ryan Kalish walk and Mike Aviles single, Ellsbury doubled in Kalish that was followed by a Crawford sac fly. Pedroia brought in Ellsbury with a double of his own to make it 5-1 Red Sox.

The doubles onslaught continued in the 7th when Pedroia led off the inning with one and then came in to score on a Gonzo single. The offense would add three more runs off of Michael Kirkman in the 8th to make the lead insurmountable.

While Cook wasn’t perfect on the night, he was more effective than he had been in his past few starts. He was able to scatter six hits over seven innings while walking three and picking up two rare strikeouts. Cook did it by mixing in all of his pitches. When hitters were thinking sinker, he was mixing in a slider and a curve.

For the Red Sox this outing was huge from Cook. Having been inconsistent his past few outings, it temporarily stabilized what the Red Sox get from the bottom of the rotation. But what needs to happen now is a few more of these from him.

When the top of the order hits like they did last night, the Red Sox are going to win some ballgames. Hopefully enough ballgames to get to them to the playoffs. Sure they’ll not going to hit like this the rest of the season and that’s when you hope the rest of the order gets going. But when all of them are going like this, you can only hope the pitching is good enough to get them the win.

That starts tonight with Jon Lester who we can only hope and pray that his cutter is effective and keeps the Rangers hitters at bay.

We’ll be back later with today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. So for now, let’s take a look at the overnight links from the media.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Double feature [boston globe]

Valentine gets Henry backing [boston globe]

Ortiz opts for an injection [boston globe]

Reading between lines [boston globe]

Sox 1st in standings — in charity [boston globe]

Sox get behind manager, beat Rangers [boston herald]

Happy Valentine’s stay [boston herald]

Aaron Cook makes pitch to stay in rotation [boston herald]

Aaron Cook makes pitch to stay in rotation [boston herald]

Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez remain hot at plate [boston herald]

Sox keep focus, beat Rangers, 9-2 [csn new england]

Sox not helping cause with Valentine vote of confidence [csn new england]

Top Sox hitters lock on, but still lacking consistency [csn new england]

Cook does his part, lets fielders do rest [csn new england]

Ortiz receives injection of pain killer in Achilles [csn new england]

Ortiz gets injection in ailing Achilles [espn boston]

GM: Sox aren’t ‘running up the back stairs’ [espn boston]

Sox flip script in rout of Rangers [espn boston]

Boston Red Sox GM Ben Cherington keeps pushing his team to peak in Sisyphean task [espn boston]

Boston Red Sox brass are banking on a Bobby Valentine-led rebound [espn boston]

Closing Time: Cook dazzles, top four explodes as Red Sox rout Rangers [full count]

Red Sox Offense Explodes After Bobby Valentine’s Job Status Triggers Some Fire [nesn.com]

Aaron Cook Seemingly Preserves His Spot in the Starting Rotation With Strong Performance [nesn.com]

Will Middlebrooks Reveals Favorite Player Growing Up Was Cal Ripken, Jr. (Video) [nesn.com]

Franklin Morales Hits the Tub to Keep His Legs in Shape While Adapting to Changing Role [nesn.com]

Youkilis donates $20,000 to replace gear destroyed in N.H. fire [projo sox blog]

It’s on the players: Red Sox redirect responsibility for 2012 from manager’s office to the field [alex speier – weei.com]

Bailey prepares for next phase of rehab [redsox.com]

Sox players back their embattled manager [csn new england]

Ellsbury, Crawford ‘electric’ setting table [csn new england]

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSN New England,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram websites.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

photo credit: ap photo

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

Preseason 2012 Top 25 countdown: No. 20 TE Ryan Griffin [andrea adelson – espn.com]

UConn Alum Sherman goes Beast Mode in Preseason Game [the uconn blog]

Terry Baltimore Cup Quarterfinals: The sack of Grothe vs. The best two-point conversion in UConn history [the uconn blog]

Terry Baltimore Cup Quarterfinals: Dave Teggart’s BCS-clinching kick vs. Robbie Frey’s Fiesta Bowl kick return [the uconn blog]

Smith, Phillips eager to catch on at wide receiver [new haven register]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Lauren Engeln Leaves UConn Women’s Basketball Team [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Calhoun still pondering his future [mark blaudschun]

Recruiting Roundup: August 6 [kevin duffy – ct post]

Player Profile: Tyler Olander [uconn huskies basketball]

Calhoun: ‘Nothing has changed really’ about long-term plans [ct post]

Calhoun Says He’ll Go Home Tuesday; Expects To Focus On Recruiting [hartford courant]

Pistons coach eyes physical and emotional growth from Andre Drummond [examiner.com]

Other UConn related links

Remembering Dave Solomon [david borges – new haven register]

One year later Dave Solomon’s loss still stings [jim fuller – new haven register]

M. Soccer. Men’s Soccer No. 1 In BIG EAST Preseason Poll [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Soccer. Connecticut and St. John’s Picked to win 2012 BIG EAST Men’s Soccer Divisional Titles [bigeast.org]

Baseball. Branford’s Mike Olt making good impression with Texas Rangers [new haven register]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

After losing three-of-four to the Minnesota Twins, the Boston Red Sox will close out their 10-game homestand starting tonight in the first game of a three-game with the Texas Rangers at historic Fenway Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Rangers television market, you can catch the game on FOX Sports Southwest. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Aaron Cook looks snap his four-start losing streak in his ninth start of 2012. In his previous eight starts, Cook is 2-5 with a 5.24 ERA. Tonight marks his first career start against the Rangers.

Yu Darvish makes his 21st start of 2012 for the Rangers tonight. In his previous 20 starts, Darvish is 11-7 with a 4.38 ERA. Tonight marks his first career start against the local nine and at Fenway Park.

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

63-44		54-55
1. Ian Kinsler	2B	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Michael Young	SS	2. Carl Crawford	LF
3. Josh Hamilton	CF	3. Dustin Pedroia	2B
4. Adrian Beltre	3B	4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
5. Nelson Cruz	RF	5. Cody Ross	DH
6. David Murphy	LF	6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
7. Mike Napoli	C	7. Will Middlebrooks	3B
8. Geovany Soto	DH	8. Ryan Kalish	RF
9. Mitch Moreland	1B	9. Mike Aviles	SS
Yu Darvish	SP	Aaron Cook	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

NOTES:

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Henry: Sox ‘not making change in manager’ [rob bradford – weei.com]

John Henry: ‘We are not making a change in manager’ [clubhouse insider]

Feeling the Sox frustration [csn new england]

Early notes: Valentine has closed-door meeting with ownership [csn new england]

Henry: ‘We’re not firing the manager’ [csn new england]

Ortiz gets injection in right heel, status still uncertain [csn new england]

Sox try to get back to .500 vs. TEX [espn boston]

Firing Bobby Valentine won’t fix the Red Sox [extra bases]

Bobby Valentine: ‘I manage for my job every day’ [extra bases]

John Henry backs Bobby Valentine [extra bases]

Ben Cherington: ‘Bobby [Valentine] is our manager and we’re not considering anyone else’ [full count]

Big picture remains out of focus for Red Sox [tony massarotti – boston globe]

Red Sox Look to Cool Down Ian Kinsler As They Host Rangers for Three-Game Set [nesn.com]

Napoli on Lavarnway: ‘He’s going to have to be the one to show people that he can do it’ [projo sox blog]

John Henry: ‘We are not making a change in manager’ [projo sox blog]

Status of David Ortiz remains uncertain [projo sox blog]

Atchison to make determination on future [projo sox blog]

Bailey to pitch for PawSox on Wednesday and Thursday [projo sox blog]

Cook looks to get on track against Rangers [redsox.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

photo credits: reuters pictures, getty images