• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rays-Red Sox Preview

Sep 12, 2009 - 4:37 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Tampa Bay (72-68) at Boston (81-58), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Heading into the final three weeks of the season as the AL wild-card leaders has given the Boston Red Sox plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

The recent performance of Josh Beckett isn't one of them.

Beckett looks for his first win in a month Saturday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, who will try to avoid a ninth straight loss a night after the series opener was postponed by rain.

Boston (81-58) came into its final series of the season against Tampa Bay with a two-game lead over Texas for the wild card, and the standings were the same at the end of the night Friday. The Rangers were rained out against Seattle, and the Red Sox and Rays (72-68) never got back on the field after heavy rain started falling in the top of the first inning.

The teams will play a doubleheader Sunday, with Jon Lester and James Shields - Friday's starters - pitching the second game. Lester faced four batters Friday, allowing three hits before the game was initially delayed.

"We got off to a nice start," Rays manager Joe Maddon told the team's official Web site. "As it turned out, neither team was really hurt by it because both pitchers tonight can pitch on Sunday, so it's going to be fine."

Seeing plenty of baserunners has been the norm recently for Beckett (14-6, 3.87 ERA), who is 0-2 with a 7.76 ERA in his past five starts since beating Detroit on Aug. 12.

Beckett's biggest problem has been the long ball, as he's allowed 12 homers in 31 1-3 innings in that stretch. He didn't allow any Monday against the Chicago White Sox, but was on the hook for Boston's 5-1 loss after allowing three runs and six hits over seven innings.

"He was fighting being sick," manager Terry Francona told the Red Sox's official Web site. "I just don't think he feels real strong either. I think that has something to do with it. He's trying to reach back for more. I thought, today, he stayed within himself better."

Beckett has given up three homers in 23 2-3 innings against Tampa Bay this season, going 1-1 with a 5.70 ERA in four starts. He's 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two outings at Fenway Park, however.

Beckett will be facing a Rays' offense that's averaged 2.6 runs in going 0-8 since Sept. 3. Tampa Bay hasn't lost more than eight straight since dropping 11 in a row June 25-July 5, 2007.

Evan Longoria is hitting .379 with four homers and 10 RBIs during the Rays' skid, but he's been just about the only one producing. Carl Crawford, Ben Zobrist and Pat Burrell are hitting a combined .143 with four RBIs and 19 strikeouts since Sept. 3.

Victor Martinez has been Boston's hottest hitter lately, batting .391 with a homer and eight RBIs in his past seven games.

Martinez and the rest of the Red Sox's lineup won't have much information to go off Saturday, however, as they face Wade Davis for the first time.

The rookie right-hander was dazzling in his major league debut Sunday despite leaving without a decision. Davis gave up a run and three hits over seven innings, striking out nine, and was in line for the win until Tampa Bay gave up four runs in the ninth to lose 5-3 to Detroit.

"He really did a wonderful job," Maddon said. "Honestly I didn't know he'd be able to do that. But he did, and he did it in fine fashion. He was really good."