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Blue Jays-Red Sox Preview

Sep 28, 2009 - 1:48 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Toronto (71-84) at Boston (91-63), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Boston Red Sox couldn't prevent their rivals from clinching the division title, but they have a chance to join them in the postseason as soon as Monday night.

After suffering a three-game sweep in New York, the Red Sox will try to bounce back with their ninth straight home win over the Toronto Blue Jays in their return to Fenway Park.

Boston's 4-2 loss Sunday to the Yankees ended the AL East race, but the Red Sox's wild card magic number dropped to two as Texas fell to Tampa Bay.

If Boston beats Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series, it will have to wait to see if Los Angeles can top the visiting Rangers later in the evening.

"Hope we win (Monday)," manager Terry Francona said. "That's normally what we do. Play. If you win, move on. If you lose, learn and move on. That's what our next chore will be."

The Red Sox (91-64) have a good shot at a victory if Josh Beckett (16-6, 3.79 ERA) can continue his late September surge.

Beckett earned his second straight win Wednesday night at Kansas City, allowing two runs over six innings. He also struck out seven for the second consecutive outing and scattered 12 hits while lowering his ERA to 2.84 over his last three starts.

He needs one more strikeout for a career-high 195.

The right-hander, however, has a 12.98 ERA in his last four matchups against the Blue Jays including a 10.45 ERA in two matchups this season. The Red Sox, though, won both of those outings and have taken six in a row overall versus Toronto.

They are 11-4 against the Blue Jays this season, clinching the season series for the first time since 2004. Their eight-game home win streak over the Blue Jays dates back to the second game of a doubleheader Sept. 13, 2008.

Toronto enters Boston searching for a season-high tying fourth straight win after finishing a 6-1 homestand.

In their final home game of the season, the Blue Jays (72-84) rallied from a three-run deficit for a 5-4 win Sunday. Pinch hitter Adam Lind hit a tying RBI single in the eighth inning, and Rob Barajas followed with a go-ahead double.

"The whole homestand we played great baseball," Barajas said. "We went 6-1, took care of the home crowd. It was great for us. Hopefully, we can build on this going into next year."

While the Blue Jays finished 44-37 at home, they are 28-47 on the road and have lost four straight there. Toronto has suffered a pair of three-game sweeps at Fenway, most recently Aug. 28-30.

That series launched a 10-game home win streak for the Red Sox. That run ended Sept. 17 against Los Angeles, but they are 13-2 at Fenway since Aug. 24.

Making prospects bleaker for the Blue Jays, they have lost 15 of Scott Richmond's last 20 starts, and all three of his career appearances against the Red Sox.

Richmond (7-10, 5.32) gave up five runs over five innings in his only start this season against the Red Sox - and only career start in Boston - on Aug. 28. The right-hander did not get a decision in a 6-5 defeat.