Game Info
Date: Thursday, September 8th, 2005
First Pitch: 7:05pm ET
TV: NESN
Starting Pitchers:
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/5468.jpghttp://bellsouthpwp.net/c/h/chinigor/TALKSOX/VS.GIFhttp://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/6099.jpg
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/ana.gif #36 Paul Byrd (10-9, 3.97)
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/bos.gif #31 Matt Clement (13-3, 4.17)
Clement closes series with Angels
Angels (77-61) at Red Sox (82-56), 7:05 p.m. ET
They meet for the final time this season -- the regular season, that is. But there's a legitimate chance that the Red Sox and Angels will do battle again in October.
The Red Sox hope to give the Angels a deflating sendoff on Thursday night. A victory would give Boston 13 wins the last 14 times they've played the Angels at Fenway.
This is also the last game of a season-high, 14-game homestand for the Red Sox before they jet off to New York for a weekend series at Yankee Stadium. Boston enters the night leading the Yankees by four games in the American League East.
A win would give the Red Sox an 11-3 record on the homestand.
Matt Clement takes the ball for the Sox. The Angels counter with the offspeed offerings of Paul Byrd.
Pitching matchup
LAA: RHP Paul Byrd
• 10-9, 3.97 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 4.70 ERA vs. BOS in 2005
BOS: RHP Matt Clement
• 13-3, 4.17 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 1.29 ERA vs. LAA in 2005
Player to watch
Manny Ramirez has been so chilly with the bat of late that you figure an eruption has to be near. Ramirez is hitting .174 with no homers and two RBIs in his first 23 at-bats of September.
Quotable
"Alex has been a guy who has been a great teammate and he's been a very hard worker. He had a walk to get it started and he had a nice triple to drive in a run. Aside from playing phenomenal defense." -- Jason Varitek, on Alex Cora's play of late and on Wednesdsay night
Quick hits
The Red Sox are a season-high 26 games over .500. ... They've been absolutely blistering at home, winning 23 of 26 at Fenway. ... David Ortiz leads the Major Leagues with 122 RBIs. ... Kevin Millar has four homers, seven RBIs and nine runs on this homestand.
On deck
• Friday: at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: at Yankees, 1:25 p.m. ET
• Sunday: at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. ET