8/6 @ KC

[BoSox21]

Boston Red Sox (65-49) vs. Kansas City Royals (53-61)

Tim Wakefield (6-8, 3.77) vs. Luke Hochevar (6-9, 5.42)

 

The Boston Red Sox showed they’re capable of hitting the ball. Now, Tim Wakefield must hope the bats have some hits left in them for him.

 

Wakefield, whose strong season has been hindered by a lack of offensive support, looks for better fortunes Wednesday night when the Red Sox and Kansas City Royals conclude their three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

 

Although he owns a losing record, Wakefield (6-8, 3.77 ERA) has been among the league’s more effective starters for more than two months. The knuckleballer, who turned 42 on Saturday, owns a 2.74 ERA and a .195 opponent batting average since May 28, but only a 3-5 record to show for it in 12 starts.

 

Poor run support has been the primary culprit. The Red Sox (65-49) have scored three runs or fewer for Wakefield in eight of his last 12 outings, including a total of six runs in his last three starts.

 

Wakefield limited Oakland to four hits and three walks in 6 1-3 scoreless innings Friday, but wound up without a decision in a 12-inning, 2-1 defeat for Boston. He is 10-6 with a 3.89 ERA in 24 career appearances versus the Royals, 17 of them starts.

 

The Red Sox benefited from plenty of offense Tuesday, scoring in five different innings and totaling 13 hits in an 8-2 victory to bounce back from Monday’s series-opening 4-3 loss. Tuesday’s win—Boston’s fourth in five games overall—enabled the Red Sox to stay within three games of AL East-leading Tampa Bay.

 

Jason Bay had two doubles among his four hits while driving in a pair of runs and scoring twice. The left fielder, acquired from Pittsburgh in last week’s trade sending Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles, is 9-for-21 (.429) with eight runs scored, six RBIs and four extra-base hits since joining the Red Sox. He has at least one hit in all five games with his new team to help Boston go 4-1 since the deal.

 

“The biggest thing is you look around and nobody is counting on you to be that guy,” Bay said. “You’re just a complimentary piece of that puzzle. Since I’ve been here, I’ve had two guys on base every second or third time I get up there. That’s a testament to the lineup.

 

“Just coming over here, I’m trying to be comfortable and trying not to do too much. I think that’s probably helped simplify it. Obviously some success early helps you relax a little bit.”

 

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia singled to extend his road hitting streak to 26 games, the longest such run by a Boston hitter since Tris Speaker’s 29-game road streak in 1913. It’s also the longest road hitting streak in the majors since Luis Castillo had a hit in 27 straight road games for Florida in 2002.

 

Alex Gordon went 2-for-3 Tuesday but also committed two errors at third base for the Royals, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped and suffered only their second defeat in nine games.

 

Seeking a series win, Kansas City (53-61) will turn to slumping starter Luke Hochevar (6-9, 5.42).

 

The right-hander is 1-4 with a 7.36 ERA and a .304 opponent batting average since July 1. He gave up four runs and a season high-tying 10 hits in six innings of Friday’s 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

 

Hochevar also struggled May 19 at Boston, allowing seven runs—four earned — five hits and six walks in six innings of a 7-0 defeat as he wound up on the losing end of Jon Lester’s no-hitter.

 

Yahoo! Sports

[Cocos Disciples]

Win the game, series.

[User Name]

This is a pretty important game I'd say. We have to show that we kept the momentum from last night and get on a nice roll.

[VA Sox Fan]

The Red Sox lineup is in, and Dustin Pedroia is getting a night off:

 

1. J.D. Drew, RF

2. Jed Lowrie, SS

3. David Ortiz, DH

4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B

5. Mike Lowell, 3B

6. Jason Bay, LF

7. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

8. Kevin Cash, C

9. Alex Cora, 2B

 

-- Tim Wakefield, SP

[BoSox21]

no Pedroia? DEAR GOD NO

 

lets see what Lowrie can do in the 2 spot

[VA Sox Fan]

no Pedroia? DEAR GOD NO

 

lets see what Lowrie can do in the 2 spot

 

My thoughts, exactly.

[redsoxrules]

Is it just me or does tito ALWAYS gives someone the night off when wake is pitching

[Jasonbay44]

Bottom 3 suck

 

Hopefully one of them does something good

[Cocos Disciples]

Is it just me or does tito ALWAYS gives someone the night off when wake is pitching

 

Yep. Varitek.

 

[redsoxrules]

Yep. Varitek.

 

 

you know what I mean <_>

[Thumper]

Cora at second? The f***? Resting Pedroia??

[dowling25]

wow just saw the rays scored 6 in the ninth...are you kidding me Guardians.

[Thumper]

I think if Boston scores more runs than the Royals tonight the Red Sox could have a chance at winning the game.

 

 

I am the next Tim McCarver.

[High Mileage]

Should be a good game...

[ORS]

I still giggle at the correct pronounciation of Hochevar's name.....ho shaver.

[Thumper]

Bases loaded cause Youk can't learn to not lean over the plate.

[Cocos Disciples]

f*** DP.

[ORS]

Yeah, he should really change his approach, it's obviously not working.

[Bostonownsyou]

3 LOB and counting. Got to love this offense.

[Dojji]

Actually, only 2 -- remember, Youk was doubled off.

 

Only the Sox...

[das11209]

Starting to get a bad feeling about Lowell and his contract.

[Dojji]

Starting to get a bad feeling about Lowell and his contract.

 

 

yeah, after all, Lowell's only producing an 800+ OPS with quality defense at third base despite an injury...

[ORS]

Why is Lowell batting before Bay again? It would help if this manager realized Lowell has been a pit of suck lately and not have him up after the guys that are capable of getting on base.

[ORS]

yeah' date=' after all, Lowell's only producing an 800+ OPS with quality defense at third base despite an injury...[/quote']

I see you've met DAS (some fun could be had with that acronym). He's of the opinion that last year's offense wasn't good because they didn't score as many runs as the epic '03 squad.

[TedWilliams101]

Yeah, I agree that Bay batting 6th is a waste. He SHOULD be batting cleanup, but I don't mind seeing him 5th for bit, but 6th is a joke. Bay is a much better hitter than Lowell, let alone the fact that Lowell has been struggling lately.

[das11209]

yeah' date=' after all, Lowell's only producing an 800+ OPS with quality defense at third base despite an injury...[/quote']

 

Lowell had a monster contract year and he is bound to regress after that. The question is how much? If it is pre 2005 - that will be BAD.

[redsoxrules]

Got to love this offense.

 

Its ranked 3rd in all of baseball nitwit

[Dojji]

Pre-2005 Lowell is bad? Go look at the numbers for me.

[das11209]

I see you've met DAS (some fun could be had with that acronym). He's of the opinion that last year's offense wasn't good because they didn't score as many runs as the epic '03 squad.

 

Thanks for the intro ORS. Last years offense was just good enough and the team was lucky enough to somehow hold on the Yankees and get the homefield advantage against Cleveland. Lucky is nice - but I don't count on that all the time. The team also got great spark from Ellsbury in the play-offs. I think we have opportunities to improve in the line-up.

 

I have been pretty consistent here in spite of all the insults that we lack a power bat this year. And if the Sox wins it all and makes me a fool of myself - I will be the happiest one.

[ORS]

Lowell had a monster contract year and he is bound to regress after that. The question is how much? If it is pre 2005 - that will be BAD.

Pre-2005 would rock. He put up two .860+ seasons in '03 and '04. Well played.