When and Where
8:11 p.m. ET (NESN), Sept. 4, 2009
U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, Ill.
When and Where
Red Sox (78-55, 2nd place in AL East)
White Sox (66-69, 3rd place in AL Central)
Head to Head
The Sox are making their first – and last – trip to Chicago this season. After taking three of four from the White Sox at Fenway last week, the Red Sox travel to Cellular Field for four games. Last season in Chicago, the Sox split a four-game series Aug. 8 -11.
Lineups
| Red Sox | White Sox |
||||
| Jacoby Ellsbury, CF | Scott Podsednik, LF | ||||
| Dustin Pedroia, 2B | Gordon Beckham, 3B | ||||
| Victor Martinez, 1B | A.J. Pierzynski, C | ||||
| Kevin Youkilis, 3B | Paul Konerko, 1B | ||||
| David Ortiz, DH | Mark Kotsay, RF | ||||
| Jason Bay, LF | Carlos Quentin, DH | ||||
| J.D. Drew, RF | Chris Getz, 2B | ||||
| Jason Varitek, C | Alexei Ramirez, SS | ||||
| Alex Gonzalez, SS | Alex Rios, CF |
Pitching Matchup
RHP Paul Byrd (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Freddy Garcia (0-2, 5.94)
Byrd dazzled the Blue Jays on Aug. 30 at Fenway in his first start since Sept. 24, 2008. In six scoreless innings, the veteran right-hander allowed just three hits and three walks with one strikeout.
In 15 career starts against the White Sox, Byrd is 8-3 with a 4.43 ERA (50 earned runs in 101 2/3 innings). In six starts in Chicago, he is 4-1 with a 4.31 ERA (19 earned runs in 39 2/3 innings). In his last seven outings against the White Sox since 2007, he is 3-1 with a 3.43 ERA (15 earned runs, 39 1/3 innings), going at least six innings in five of those seven games with four quality starts.
This is Garcia’s fourth start of the season and second against the Red Sox. He has posted quality starts in his last two outings, including his last start against the Red Sox on Aug. 25 at Fenway. He did not get a decision, allowing three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. At Yankee Stadium on Aug. 30, Garcia gave up three runs in six innings and took the loss. The White Sox are 0-3 in his starts this season.
In 14 career starts against the Red Sox, Garcia is 6-2 with a 4.74 ERA (46 earned runs, 87 1/3 innings). In his last six starts against the Red Sox, he is 3-0 with a 5.31 ERA (25 earned runs, 42 1/3 innings).
Stat Sheet
Red Sox
The Sox are 33-34 on the road, third-best in the AL behind the Angels and Yankees. They are 6-9 in their last 15 and 10-14 on the road since the All-Star break.
Since Aug. 4, Red Sox pitchers have combined for 241 strikeouts, second in the majors during that span, with 65 strikeouts over the last six games. They have 10 or more strikeouts in three of the last six games. They have struck out 10 or more in 35 games this season.
Billy Wagner has seven strikeouts in his three innings with the Red Sox.
Red Sox pitchers are second in the AL with 1,034 strikeouts this season. The Yankees are first with 1,047.
Since July 31, the Red Sox have hit 57 home runs, one behind the Yankees for the most in the majors in that time.
The Red Sox have hit home runs in 16 of their last 18 games with multiple homers in 12 of those games, 15 of their last 22, and 21 of their last 31 since July 31.
Since Aug. 10, the Red Sox' 16-7 record is second-best in the AL, behind the Yankees' 17-6.
With 12 hits against the Rays on Thursday, the Red Sox have 10 or more hits in five of their last six games, and 12 of their last 16 games since Aug. 18.
Since Aug. 18 J.D. Drew is batting .362 (17-for-47) with six home runs.
Red Sox pitchers have eight shutouts this season.
David Ortiz has 268 career home runs as a designated hitter, one shy of tying Frank Thomas for the all-time lead in that category. He is tied for second in the AL with Carlos Pena with 21 homers since June 6, trailing Kendry Morales by one.
The Red Sox are batting .181 (23-for-127) against Garcia, with three home runs, 18 RBIs, 12 walks and 27 strikeouts.
Victor Martinez has faced Garcia the most, going 5-for-23 (.217) two home runs, five RBIs, six walks, and a strikeout.
Jason Varitek has had the most success against Garcia, going 5-for-17 (.294) with one RBI, a walk and four strikeouts.
J.D. Drew is batting .333 (2-for-6) with a walk against him.
Mike Lowell is batting .333 (2-for-6) with two RBIs against him.
White Sox
The White Sox have lost five of their last eight, nine of 12, and went 3-8 on the 11-game road trip which ended Thursday.
White Sox starting pitchers have recorded a quality start in nine of their last 10 games and lead the AL with 70 quality starts.
The White Sox are 13th in the AL with a .980 fielding percentage with a league-high 100 errors.
The White Sox have allowed an AL-high 64 unearned runs, including eight on their just-concluded road trip.
The White Sox are 21-22 in the first game of a series.
The White Sox are 42-53 against right-handed starters.
Manager Ozzie Guillen needs one win to reach 500, which will tie him for fourth with Jerry Manuel in White Sox history. Tony LaRussa is third with 522.
Alex Rios needs one double for 200 in his career.
Jermaine Dye needs nine home runs to tie Robin Ventura (171) for sixth in White Sox history.
The White Sox are hitting .269 (49-for-182) against Byrd, with eight home runs, 21 RBIs, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts.
Mark Kotsay is batting .464 (13-for-28) with two home runs, four RBIs, four walks and a strikeout against Byrd.
Scott Podsednik is hitting .357 (5-for-14) with one RBIs, two walks and two strikeouts against Byrd.
Paul Konerko is batting .316 (12-for-38) with a home run, three RBIs, a walk and three strikeouts against him.
Jermaine Dye (5-for-28, .179) leads the White Sox with three home runs off Byrd. Dye also has seven RBIs, a walk and seven strikeouts against the right-hander.
Black and Blue
Red Sox
Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 20 with a mild right shoulder strain. He made a rehab start for Double-A Portland on Sunday, giving up five runs in two innings to Manchester. He is expected to make another rehab start Friday with the PawSox.
Jed Lowrie has been on the DL since Aug. 7 with ulnar neuritis of the left wrist.
White Sox
Right-hander Bartolo Colon is on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation.
Right-hander Jake Peavy is on the disabled list with a strained right ankle tendon.
This Date in Red Sox History
Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk becomes the fifth Red Sox player to have his number (27) retired on Sept. 4, 2000 — joining Bobby Doerr (1), Joe Cronin (4), Carl Yastrzemski (8) and Ted Williams (9).
Overheard
"Like anybody coming back from a physical ailment, we just want to be sure we evaluate him [Friday] after [Thursday’s] session, similar to what we did [Thursday]. We want to be sure that after [Wednesday’s] long toss and more aggressive throwing he was capable of getting on the mound [Thursday], which he was."
— Pitching coach John Farrell on the possibility of Tim Wakefield starting Saturday in Chicago
Press Box
Red Sox
The Sox finally won a series in Tampa Bay.
It was an important win for the Sox.
Tim Wakefield is hopeful he can start Saturday.
White Sox
The White Sox beat their Windy City rivals.
The White Sox may lighten the load on the rotation.
Jake Peavy is happy in his new home.
MLB
The Mets are an amazing mess.
Josh Hamilton has a pinched nerve in his neck.
George Steinbrenner is happy with the Yankees.
Outlook
The White Sox barely put up a challenge for the Red Sox at Fenway last week. It will be interesting to see if Paul Byrd can duplicate the stellar performance he threw at the Blue Jays in his last start. Taking two of three from the Rays at the Trop should give the Sox good road momentum heading into Chicago.
