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Blue Jays-Red Sox Preview

Aug 28, 2009 - 4:37 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Toronto (58-67) at Boston (73-53), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Josh Beckett may be one of the top pitchers in the AL, but he certainly hasn't looked the part lately - especially against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The two-time All-Star will attempt to end his slump and earn his 15th win Friday night when the Boston Red Sox host the Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series.

Beckett (14-5, 3.65 ERA), who is two seasons removed from his career-high 20-win season with Boston (73-54), is tied with three other pitchers in wins, one back of the major league-leading 15 of New York's CC Sabathia and Adam Wainwright of St. Louis. Sabathia also starts Friday, against Chicago.

Beckett got hit hard opposite Sabathia on Sunday, getting tagged for eight runs and nine hits - including a career-high five homers - in eight innings of an 8-4 loss. That performance came five days after Toronto (58-67) roughed up Beckett for seven runs and nine hits - three of them homers - in 5 1-3 innings, though the Red Sox eventually won 10-9.

The right-hander had been 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA in his prior four outings.

"These are humbling deals," said Beckett, who was 8-0 with a 2.58 ERA in his previous 11 starts at Fenway Park. "That was a whupping I got (Sunday). That's the only words I've got to sum it up."

Beckett has generally struggled against the Blue Jays, going 3-5 with a 6.44 ERA while serving up 15 homers in 11 starts. He's been even worse in his last three outings versus Toronto, posting an 0-2 record and a 14.59 ERA.

The Red Sox must hope he's back on his game as they seek to rebound from Thursday's 9-5 loss to the White Sox.

Boston, which failed in its quest for a four-game sweep, leads the AL wild-card race by 1 1/2 games over Texas.

The Red Sox swept the Blue Jays at Fenway from May 19-21 to run their home winning streak against Toronto to five games. They've also taken five of nine road contests in the season series.

The Jays have struggled against East foes, going 17-34 to rank better only than Washington's 13-34 mark within the NL East for baseball's worst divisional record.

That poor mark is a major reason why Toronto has dropped 20 games behind New York. The Blue Jays, who led the division as recently as May 23, are 31-48 since and have lost 10 of their last 14.

The Blue Jays defeated Tampa Bay 3-2 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep. They rallied for the win with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, winning the game when Marco Scutaro scored on J.P. Howell's wild pitch.

Scott Richmond (6-7, 4.09), who pitched for Canada in March's World Baseball Classic, will take the mound trying to end a personal three-game slide and help Toronto win consecutive games for the first time since a three-game winning streak Aug. 8-10.

The rookie right-hander is 0-3 with a 5.48 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 23 innings over his four outings since returning from right shoulder tendinitis, which landed him on the disabled list July 4-28.

Richmond was victimized by a big inning Saturday, serving up three doubles and a walk en route to three runs in the third inning of a 7-3 defeat to Los Angeles. Despite the shaky third, he allowed only four total runs and six hits with 10 strikeouts through seven innings.

He's 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two games - one start - against the Red Sox.