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Red Sox-Tigers Preview

Jun 4, 2009 - 5:06 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Boston (30-22) at Detroit (28-22), 1:05 p.m. EDT

Pitchers on the Boston Red Sox have enjoyed their time at Comerica Park this week. Given his struggles on the road recently, Tim Wakefield hopes his start there goes just as well.

On Thursday, Wakefield looks to help the Red Sox look to complete a three-game sweep of the Tigers in Detroit for the first time in almost 13 years.

Boston (31-22) has won three straight after a 2-4 start to its 10-game road trip. The Red Sox gave up 28 runs in the first seven games versus Minnesota and Toronto, but have allowed just six - only one earned - against Detroit (28-23).

After Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up one run over five innings Tuesday for his first win of the season, Josh Beckett had his no-hit bid broken up Wednesday when Curtis Granderson singled with two out in the seventh.

Beckett, who retired 18 straight at one point, surrendered three unearned runs and two hits over 7 2-3 innings in the 10-5 victory. Struggling slugger David Ortiz (.187) had a two-run double for Boston during a six-run eighth that made it 10-0.

The Red Sox committed three errors in the bottom of the inning, leading to all five Detroit runs.

"We let the game get away from us in that inning, and it ended up being important at the end," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Boston has won five of six in Detroit. It's outscored the Tigers 31-10 and the starting rotation has a 0.83 ERA in those victories.

Now, Wakefield (6-3, 4.55 ERA) will try to help the Red Sox cap their first three-game sweep at Detroit since Sept 17-19, 1996. The knuckleballer, though, is 1-2 with an 11.30 ERA in his last three road starts.

Wakefield went 4-2 in May, but posted a 6.82 ERA. He gave up six runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Friday, matching his shortest start of the season.

Wakefield is 15-10 with a 4.20 ERA in his career against the Tigers. He won both starts against them last season, allowing one earned run over 13 innings.

Granderson had two of the Tigers' three hits Wednesday, including a three-run triple, and he's hitting .364 (4 for 11) with a home run and two RBIs against Wakefield.

Dontrelle Willis (1-2, 5.56) will make his fifth start of the season in the finale after returning from an anxiety disorder. However, the left-hander is coming off his worst start since rejoining the team, yielding season-highs of seven runs and 10 hits over five innings of a 7-2 loss to Baltimore on Friday.

This is Willis' second career start against the Red Sox and first since 2006 when he was with Florida. He pitched seven innings and allowed two runs and seven hits in a 5-2 victory.

Detroit will be trying to avoid a season high-tying third straight loss.

Kevin Youkilis, who is batting a team-high .365 for Boston left in the eighth inning Wednesday after being kicked in the ankle while covering first base. Manager Terry Francona said Youkilis only appeared to suffer a bruise.