Game Preview: Texas @ Sox GM4

McCarthy (4-4) vs. Gabbard (1-0, 6.48)
Fenway Park 7:05

With thoughts of sweeping the lowly Rangers long since put to rest, Boston hopes to merely manage a split of the wraparound four game set when they send youngster Kason Gabbard to the mound for his third start of the season and second in place of Curt Schilling.

Gabbard is coming off an atrocious start in Seattle in which he walked four and hit a batter in the first inning alone, and wound up issuing six free passes and six hits in 3 1/3 innings of what would be a 9-4 Boston loss.

His opponent will be highly-touted but yet-to-deliver young righty Brandon McCarthy, who was shelled by the Sox back in late May when he allowed four hits, four walks and four runs in 2 1/3 innings of a 10-6 Texas loss on May 25th. This will be McCarthy's first start since spending 15 days on the DL with a blister problem (hmm, sounds familiar.)

Wouldn't you know it, he's another in a growing list of long & lanky (6' 7") starters to oppose Boston this season and second in a row after teammate Kameron Loe.

Despite who's starting (it doesn't matter at this point) all I know is that the many all-stars on this roster better start playing like it, and if they lose another low-scoring, one-run game I'm going to start watching Premiere League soccer in order to see some real high-scoring teams.

Go Sox!