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Bedard seeks third straight win against Red Sox

Sep 29, 2006 - 1:17 PM Baltimore (69-90) at Boston (84-75) 7:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - The Boston Red Sox have dominated the Baltimore Orioles this season - except in games started by Erik Bedard.

Bedard looks to become the first Oriole with 16 wins in a campaign since 1999 when Baltimore plays Friday's opener of a season-ending three-game series at Fenway Park.

The Orioles have lost 13 of 15 meetings with Boston this season, but both wins have been recorded by Bedard (15-10, 3.67 ERA). The lefthander has gone 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in three starts against the Red Sox in 2006, allowing just two hits in seven innings in each of the last two.

In his first attempt at becoming Baltimore's first 16-game winner since Mike Mussina racked up 18 seven years ago, Bedard allowed six runs and a season-high 12 hits in 4 1/3 innings of an 8-5 loss to Minnesota on Saturday. Bedard gave up just two earned runs and 10 hits in 20 innings to win each of his previous three outings.

Daniel Cabrera carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning Thursday as the Orioles broke a four-game skid with a 7-1 victory in the finale of a three-game series against at New York. The Yankees' only run scored courtesy of a pair of errors and two passed balls in the seventh inning.

One game behind Toronto in the race for second place in the American League East Division, Boston gives the ball to Julian Tavarez (4-4, 4.52). In his most recent start last Friday, Tavarez pitched a seven-hitter in a 7-1 win at Toronto for his first complete game since 2000.

Tavarez has gone 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA in five starts since joining the rotation at the end of August. The righthander has posted a 1.80 ERA in four relief appearances against Baltimore this season.