Rangers, BoSox Set For Fenway Showdown

Fenway Park is always a tough place to play, for the Rangers or anyone else.
 
Boston is 17-6 in the friendly confines, while being a game under .500 on the road, at 15-16.
 
That said, if Texas can come back from a devastating 8-6 loss on Thursday at Yankee Stadium, they should be able to steal a couple from the Red Sox.
 
In game one, on Friday, Kevin Millwood will go against Brad Penny. Penny is 5-1 despite having an inflated 5.63 ERA. He is 1-1 against Texas in his career, however, with a 2.70 ERA.
 
Opposing hitters have are hitting an impressive .310 against Penny this season.
 
In game two, 23 year-old Derek Holland will face Boston’s Jon Lester. Lester has been, in a word, inconsistent this season; Holland hasn’t fared much better, though, going 0-1 as a starter, with a 6.75 ERA.
 
Lester has posted a 5.65 ERA, compiling a 4-5 record on the season.
 
The finale on Sunday was supposed to feature Daisuke Matsuzaka going against Vicente Padilla. However, Padilla was put on waivers by the team on Wednesday, and Doug Mathis was called up from AAA Oklahoma to start in his stead.
 
Matsuzaka is coming off his first win in 2009, allowing one run over five innings to subdue the Tigers. He has struggled somewhat in 2009, posting a 1-3 record with a 7.17 ERA.
 
The series will begin on Friday night, first pitch at 6:10 PM CT.