Red Sox Set Sights on First Four-Game Win Streak Since June

The Red Sox will try to win their fourth straight game for the first time since mid-June when they host the Seattle Mariners again on Tuesday night.

With a 6-3 victory in the series opener on a rainy Monday, Boston has won three straight games and is now 5-2 on a critical nine-game homestand. The last time the Sox strung together four victories in a row was when they recorded back-to-back three-game sweeps against Arizona and the Los Angeles Dodgers from June 15-20.

The last time they won four straight against American League teams was May 29-June 2.

Josh Beckett, who is winless in his last three starts, makes his seventh appearance for Boston since coming off the disabled list last month. Former Red Sox pitcher David Pauley goes for Seattle.

WHEN AND WHERE

Mariners (49-76) at Red Sox (72-54)
Tuesday, Aug. 24, 7:10 p.m.
Fenway Park, Boston

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HEAD TO HEAD

The Sox are 19-8 against the Mariners at Fenway Park since 2002.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP David Pauley (2-4, 3.70 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (3-3, 3.67 ERA)

It's about time Beckett puts together a solid start. He is 0-2 with a 10.69 ERA in his last three starts and will be facing the worst offense in the American League.

Beckett's comeback from a lower back strain began six starts ago in Seattle, where he allowed a run in 5 2/3 innings of a 2-1 win over the M's. He is 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA in six career starts against Seattle in his career.

Pauley, who made nine appearances with the Red Sox between 2006 and 2008, picked up his first career win two starts ago and his second career win six days ago in Baltimore. The 27-year-old yielded one run in 5 2/3 innings opposite Jon Lester on July 24, a game the M's rallied to win 5-1.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• First baseman Mike Lowell recorded his 1,600th career hit Monday night.
• Third baseman Adrian Beltre is eight RBIs shy of 1,000 for his career.
• Designated hitter David Ortiz needs three home runs to become the third player in Red Sox history (Ted Williams, Manny Ramirez) to have six 30-homer seasons with the team.

Mariners

• Second baseman Chone Figgins has a hit in 19 of his last 25 games, batting .333 (33-for-100) in that span.
• Catcher Aaron Moore is batting .360 (9-for-25) during a six-game hitting streak.
• The Mariners are 15-59 when scoring three runs or less and 34-19 when scoring four runs or more.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• Second baseman Dustin Pedroia was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with soreness in his left foot. He played just two games after coming off the DL, having already missed nearly two months since first breaking the foot on June 25.
• Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has another broken rib near where he was hurt earlier in the year, the result of a collision at first base in Texas. He is out four to six weeks at minimum and will likely miss the remainder of the season.
• Center fielder Mike Cameron will have season-ending surgery to repair an abdominal tear.
• First baseman Kevin Youkilis had successful surgery to repair the torn right abductor muscle on his right hand. He will miss the remainder of the season.
• Catcher Jason Varitek (broken right foot) received good news on Friday, as he will be able to continue his recovery program without fear of further injury. He won't play for at least a week, but he's not expected to suffer setbacks similar to those of Pedroia.
• Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is on the DL with an infection in his lower right leg. He has been released from the hospital and will begin a rehab assignment with Pawtucket at the end of the week.
• Outfielder/second baseman Eric Patterson will also rehab with Pawtucket starting Thursday. He is out with a neck strain.
• Catcher Kevin Cash is eligible to come off the DL on Tuesday. He played two rehab games as he works his way back from a left hamstring strain.
• Left-hander Hideki Okajima is on the DL with a right hamstring strain. He gave up four runs on four hits in 1/3 inning in his second rehab outing with Pawtucket on Monday. Okajima will return to Boston on Tuesday to be reevaluated.
• Right-hander Junichi Tazawa underwent Tommy John surgery in March. He is out for the year.

Mariners

• Outfielder Michael Saunders has been bothered by a sore shoulder.
• Outfielder Milton Bradley is on the DL with right knee tendinitis.
• Shortstop Jack Wilson is out for the year following surgery to repair a broken bone in his right hand.
• Left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith is on the DL with a lower back strain.

OUTLOOK

All eyes are on Beckett, whose ability to command his fastball and get on a roll would seem to be imperative if the Red Sox are going to make a push in September. He gets to face lowly Seattle at a perfect time.