ARLINGTON – Late Sunday night, Michael Young found himself equal parts disappointed, deferential and determined.

Only a few moments earlier, the Rangers had lost 3-2 to Boston on the frozen tundra of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, preventing Texas from sweeping the home-opening series and evening its record.

He was disappointed because he'd played a key role in the loss, taking a called third strike with the tying run at third base in the bottom of the eighth. Deferential because Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon had delivered a World Series kind of pitch, a fastball at 96 mph on the farthest part of the outside corner, for strike three. And determined because he can't wait to get another chance at the same situation.

"I give him credit," said Young, who led the AL with a .412 average with runners in scoring position last year. "But at the same time, I feel like I should have hit him. I love hitting in those situations. It's where I want to find a way to get the job done."

So, Michael want another chance like that in October?

"I want another chance like that [Monday]," he said. "Those situations, I like my chances."

Young's strikeout was perhaps the most significant moment in a game that had a postseason feel to it, right down to bone-chilling 49-degree game time temperature. On national TV, Rangers starter Vicente Padilla and blogger/Red Sox ace Curt Schilling engaged in some prime-time pitching for seven innings each. Each held the opponent to four hits. Schilling gave up a homer to Frank Catalanotto; Padilla, determined to outmuscle David Ortiz left two fastballs over the middle of the plate, which Big Papi turned into homers.

The Rangers trailed by two going to the eighth, which is when the Red Sox went to the bullpen.

No. 8 hitter Gerald Laird, who had been impatient in the first week of the season, took a more disciplined approach to reliever Joel Pineiro and worked his way to a walk. Ian Kinsler followed with another walk.

It created the perfect situation for a bunt. Kenny Lofton laid down the perfect one. It caused enough confusion that when Mike Lowell fielded it, first baseman Kevin Youkilis was in the line of fire between Lowell and second baseman Alex Cora, who was covering first. It loaded the bases with nobody out.

And that's where the rally fizzled. The Red Sox called on lefty Javier Lopez and the Rangers pulled left-handed hitting Frank Catalanotto for Nelson Cruz. He lined hard to first base. Youkilis couldn't hold on to the ball or it would have been a double play ball. Instead, the Rangers got one run and Youkilis recovered to get Cruz at first.

BEN SKLAR / DMN

Umpire Fieldin Culbreth calls Rangers batter Brad Wilkerson out to end Sunday's game.

That's when the Red Sox asked Papelbon to get five outs and to start with Young. He started with a 94 mph fastball that Young simply missed, then missed the strike zone with a split-finger fastball. Papelbon came back with another fastball, this one at 96. Young was a hair late and missed it.

"That's the pitch I wish I had back," Young said. "That's the one I should have hit."

Because the next one was simply unhittable. It tickled the black on the outside of the plate. Young could only shake his head and walk back to the dugout.

"The most you could have done with that is maybe foul it off," Young said. "It was a great pitch.'

Mark Teixeira followed with a pop out to end the inning. Papelbon retired the side in order in the ninth, including strikeouts of Hank Blalock and Brad Wilkerson to end the game. Wilkerson looked at a 96 mph fastball to end it.

"We had everything lined up perfectly," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Give Papelbon some credit. He was lights out."