Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox Prediction Pick April 17, 2012

The Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox open a three-game set in MLB Picks action on Tuesday at Fenway Park.

This matchup starts at 7:10 pm ET and will be broadcast live nationally on MLB Network.  

The Red Sox are a -135 moneyline home favorite and the Rangers are a +125 road underdog in MLB Baseball Picks. The over/under total is 8.5.

Texas will start Colby Lewis. The righthander has an ERA of 1.42 and a win-loss record of 1-0. He last pitched on Wednesday when he went six and two-thirds innings in a 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Boston will start ace Jon Lester, who has an ERA of 2.40 and a win-loss record of 0-1. He went eight innings in a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

The last time the teams met was a three-game series in September, won 2-1 by the Rangers.

Baseball Picks stats show the Rangers lead MLB in hits with 9.6 per game, and the Red Sox are the second highest scoring team in the league at 5.0 runs per game. Boston has the third-most base on balls in the league at 3.6 per game, gives up the most free passes in Major League Baseball, allowing 3.6 per game, and is No. 1 in strike outs with 7.5 per game.

One thing plaguing the Red Sox already this season is injuries, with several players out, including pitchers John Lackey (60-Day Disabled List) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-Day Disabled List), and third baseman Kevin Youkilis (Day-to-Day, groin).