Red Sox’ Run of Must-Wins Begins Against Lefty Brett Cecil, Blue Jays

The Red Sox open their second-to-last homestand of the season when they welcome in the reeling Toronto Blue Jays for the first of three games Friday night.

Boston is coming off a 4-2 West Coast road trip that helped shave its playoff deficit down to six games. But just 16 games remain, making every contest a virtual must-win.

The Sox have won four in a row and will look to make it five behind John Lackey, who has lost his last three starts. Brett Cecil goes for the Jays, losers of seven of their last eight games.

WHEN AND WHERE

Blue Jays (73-73) at Red Sox (82-64)
Friday, Sept. 17, 7:10 p.m. NESN
Fenway Park, Boston

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HEAD TO HEAD

The Sox are 11-4 against the Blue Jays this year.

PITCHING MATCHUP

LHP Brett Cecil (12-7, 4.12 ERA) vs. RHP John Lackey (12-10, 4.45 ERA)

Lackey's personal three-game losing streak comes despite posting a 3.98 ERA. He has fanned 20 in 20 1/3 innings and walked just five but has received very little run support and has lost games late.

The right-hander took a shutout into the ninth inning against the Blue Jays back on Aug. 12 in Toronto before giving up a solo homer, getting pulled from the game and then watching the bullpen blow it.

Lackey is 4-4 with a 4.21 ERA lifetime vs. the Jays.

Cecil had struggled mightily against the Red Sox until his last start at Fenway Park on Aug. 20, when he yielded a pair of runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 16-2 Toronto rout.

That was part of a string of four straight solid starts for the lefty, who then hit a wall his last time out vs. Tampa Bay. In just two innings vs. the Rays, Cecil gave up seven run on eight hits.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Right-hander Scott Atchison has a 2.15 ERA over his last 21 appearances.
• Outfielder Ryan Kalish has 14 RBIs in September.
• Designated hitter David Ortiz is five doubles shy of passing Dom DiMaggio and moving into seventh place on the Red Sox' all-time list.

Blue Jays

• Toronto has homered in 17 straight games, one shy of the longest streak in the majors this season (Cincinnati).
• Right fielder Jose Bautista is tied for the franchise record for home runs in a season with 47. George Bell also hit 47 in 1987.
• The Jays are at .500 for the first time since July 22, when they were 48-48.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• Right fielder J.D. Drew is day-to-day with a jammed right ankle.
• Second baseman Dustin Pedroia had season-ending surgery Sept. 3 on his broken left foot. He is expected to be fully healed for spring training.
• Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) will not resume any baseball-related activities until after the season ends.
• Center fielder Mike Cameron had season-ending surgery to repair an abdominal tear.
• First baseman Kevin Youkilis had successful surgery to repair the torn right adductor muscle on his right hand. He will miss the remainder of the season.
• Left-hander Felix Doubront has pain behind his left clavicle. He has not pitched since Aug. 31 and has no return date set.
• Right-hander Junichi Tazawa underwent Tommy John surgery in March. He is out for the year.

Blue Jays

• Right-hander Jesse Litsch is out for the year with a labral tear in his right hip.
• Right-hander Dustin McGowan is out for the year following right shoulder surgery. He may miss all of 2011.

OUTLOOK

The Yankees are in Baltimore and the Rays are hosting the Angels. While it's still OK to take a peek at those scores, it won't mean much unless the Red Sox take care of business at home against a team that has begun to fade.