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Yankees-Red Sox Preview

Apr 7, 2010 - 5:24 AM By MATT BROWN STATS Editor

New York (0-1) at Boston (1-0), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Traditionally a powerful group of sluggers, the Boston Red Sox opted to change course in the offseason, focusing more on run prevention than run production.

The expected improvement on defense hasn't borne itself out in the first two games of 2010, but the linchpin of that strategy is ready to make his debut.

John Lackey will toe the Fenway Park rubber for the first time in a Boston uniform Wednesday night as the Red Sox conclude their season-opening series with the reigning World Series champion New York Yankees.

Whether Boston's change in strategy was for pure baseball reasons or partially for financial ones may never be known, but there's no denying the Red Sox (1-1) have embraced the trend of run prevention that's sweeping through baseball. They didn't re-sign slugging outfielder Jason Bay or make a play for free agent Matt Holliday, opting instead to add defensive stalwarts Mike Cameron and Adrian Beltre.

Their biggest splash came when they signed former Los Angeles Angels ace Lackey (11-8, 3.83 ERA in 2009) to a contract worth $82.5 million over five years. Lackey, who helped the Angels win their first World Series in 2002 as a midseason call-up and has won at least 10 games in each season since, joins a former frequent postseason rival and will form part of a trio of aces with Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.

"Honestly, we haven't talked much about the battles we used to have," Lackey said of Beckett and Lester on the team's official Web site. "They are great guys and we've played some golf and hung out off the field.

"It's been cool. I think there's a lot of similarities between the three of us that have made it easy for us to fit in as teammates."

The Red Sox will be hoping Lackey's season debut isn't too similar to those of his new friends. The Yankees (1-1) reached Beckett and Lester for a combined nine runs in 9 2-3 innings over the first two games. Boston rallied to win Sunday night's opener 9-7, but lost 6-4 on Tuesday after a throwing error by shortstop Marco Scutaro - another offseason acquisition known for his defense - loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth inning.

The Yankees took advantage of Scutaro's miscue, as Nick Johnson drew a walk to score Jorge Posada and give New York a 5-4 lead. Johnson, who began his career in New York from 2001-03 and was re-signed over the offseason, is hitless in this series but has four walks in 10 plate appearances and has been hit by a pitch.

"That's what we anticipated him to do," manager Joe Girardi said

The Yankees will send Andy Pettitte to the mound to make his season debut. The 37-year-old left-hander showed no signs of slowing down in 2009, going 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA in the regular season before going 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA in five postseason starts and earning the win in World Series-clinching Game 6 against Philadelphia.

Pettitte, whose 192 wins as a Yankee rank third behind Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231) in the franchise's storied history, is 20-9 with a 3.74 ERA in 39 career appearances against Boston, including playoff matchups.

Lackey has had mixed results against the Yankees. Including the postseason, he's 5-8 with a 4.26 ERA in 21 appearances - 20 starts - versus New York.

Posada is 4 for 8 with a homer and a double through the season's first two games. The veteran catcher is 12 for 29 with a homer and two doubles in his career against Lackey.