Tim Wakefield, Red Sox Face Old Foe Roy Halladay in Rubber Match With Phillies

Daisuke Matsuzaka gave us all something to watch Saturday night. The pitchers on the mound Sunday should do the same.

Tim Wakefield and Roy Halladay square off in a matchup of two veterans with a combined 343 wins when the Red Sox and Phillies finish a three-game set.

Matsuzaka took a no-hitter two outs into the eighth inning to lead the Sox to a 5-0 win Saturday. His bid was broken up by a Juan Castro bloop single, the only hit Philadelphia managed.

The victory boosted Boston to 10-4 all-time at Citizens Bank Park.

WHEN AND WHERE

Red Sox (23-21) vs. Phillies (26-16)
Sunday, May 23, 1:35 p.m. (NESN)
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia

HEAD TO HEAD

With a victory Sunday the Sox will have won six straight series against the Phillies.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Tim Wakefield (0-2, 5.31 ERA) vs. RHP Roy Halladay (6-2, 1.64 ERA)

Wakefield will be making just his second start since April 25, both in place of the injured Josh Beckett.

The knuckleballer’s last two starts have been very good, and if you remove one rough relief outing in Baltimore on May 1, Wakefield has a 2.70 ERA over a span of five appearances (two starts).

In nine games and seven starts against the Phillies, Wakefield is 3-1 with a 3.12 ERA. Included in that is a gem in his only outing at Citizens Bank Park back in 2005. In eight innings Wakefield yielded only two hits and struck out six in an 8-0 win.

Roy Halladay needs no introduction to the Red Sox, who have faced him 41 times over the years. Boston is actually one of the few teams to have success against Halladay, who is 14-14 with a 4.28 mark when facing the Sox.

The 33-year-old is coming off his fourth complete game of the season (only one other National League pitcher has more than one) in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Prior to Saturday’s gem by Matsuzaka, the last combined one-hitter for the Red Sox came on July 18, 2006, when Jon Lester threw eight innings and Jonathan Papelbon the ninth.
• David Ortiz played first base Saturday for the first time since June 28, 2009.
• The Sox have won 12 of their last 15 interleague series.

Phillies

• Philadelphia was one-hit Saturday for the first time since April 2, 2008.
• The Phillies’ loss to Matsuzaka was just their ninth in 30 against right-handers this year.
• Kyle Kendrick lasted just 4 2/3 innings Saturday, becoming just the second Philadelphia starter in the last 20 games to not pitch at least six innings.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• Right-hander Josh Beckett, on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain, threw lightly Friday. He is expected to throw a side session soon.
• Center fielder Mike Cameron, out since April 18 with an abdominal strain, took Saturday off and will play a rehab game Sunday for Portland. He will be reassessed after that game.
• Righty Boof Bonser allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings Monday in his fifth rehab start for Pawtucket.
• Infielder Jed Lowrie, out since mid-March with mono, will meet up with the team in Tampa this week and discuss his recovery with the medical staff.

Phillies

• Shortstop Jimmy Rollins left Friday’s game with a mild right calf strain and was placed on the DL. It is the same injury that caused him to miss a month earlier in the year.
• Closer Brad Lidge received a cortisone shot earlier this week as he works his way through right elbow inflammation.
• Reliever Ryan Madson had surgery on a broken toe earlier this month.
• Lefty J.A. Happ is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday as he recovers from a left forearm strain.
• Catcher Brian Schneider is expected to start a rehab stint in the minors Friday. He is on the DL with a left Achilles strain.

OUTLOOK

The Sox were often able to outlast Halladay in the past, giving him more fits than perhaps any other team. However, he did get the best of Boston on several occasions and is on an incredible roll in 2010.

Wakefield has quietly been very effective in his limited action of late, and opposite Halladay he may need to be even better.

Expect a quality duel between two veteran righties.