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Athletics-Red Sox Preview

Jun 3, 2010 - 4:23 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Oakland (28-25) at Boston (30-23), 1:35 p.m. EDT

The Oakland Athletics have had a tough time slowing down David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox in their first two games at Fenway Park, but they may have the right man on the mound to do so in the third.

Brett Anderson's lone career complete game was one of his two wins at Fenway last season, and the left-hander looks to pick up where he left off Thursday afternoon and help the A's salvage the finale of a 10-game road trip.

Boston (31-23) totaled nine runs in losing two of the first three on its seven-game homestand, but it's been in a groove at the plate ever since. Ortiz hit a three-run homer in an 8-1 win over Kansas City on Sunday, then Adrian Beltre hit a three-run shot and Victor Martinez went 5 for 5 in a 9-4 victory over Oakland (28-26) on Tuesday.

Ortiz continued his stunning revival Wednesday. With the Red Sox down 3-2 in the fifth inning, Ortiz - hours earlier named the AL player of the month for May - hit a two-run homer off Ben Sheets, one of the four times he reached base in a 6-4 win.

One of those walks was his first intentional pass of the season, increasing his on-base percentage since May 12 to .479. Ortiz is hitting .393 with eight homers and 22 RBIs over his last 18 games.

"It's been good to see," manager Terry Francona said. "He's swinging the bat great."

Ortiz has started 17 of Boston's past 20 games, with two of his days off coming against left-handers Francisco Liriano and Cole Hamels.

Francona could opt to give him a rest Thursday against another southpaw. Ortiz is 0 for 7 against Anderson (2-1, 1.88 ERA), who's had success against the rest of the Red Sox's lineup as well.

Anderson is 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA in three starts in the series, allowing Boston's batters to hit just .145. Both wins came at Fenway in July, including a two-hit, nine-strikeout performance July 6.

"He absolutely abused us," catcher Jason Varitek said at the time. "... He threw all his pitches to both sides whenever he wanted to."

Anderson wasn't that dominant Saturday at Detroit, but he was good enough after missing five weeks with tightness in his left elbow. The left-hander was on a strict pitch count, but held the Tigers to three hits over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-0 victory.

"That's about as good as I could have possibly hoped for after a month off," Anderson said after throwing 70 pitches. "That's probably the most efficient game I've ever pitched in the major leagues."

Five of the six earned runs Anderson has given up came April 18 against Baltimore. He's yet to allow a homer, and hasn't yielded a run in 11 2-3 innings on the road.

Anderson's mound opponent, meanwhile, is coming off arguably the worst start of his long career. After pitching eight shutout innings at Philadelphia on May 23, Tim Wakefield (1-3, 5.68) gave up nine runs and 12 hits over 3 2-3 innings Friday in a 12-5 loss to the Royals.

"I'm disgusted with my performance ...," Wakefield told the Red Sox's official website. "I'll get it straightened out. It's just a matter of small tweaks here and there, and I'll go get 'em next time."

Wakefield is 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA in his last five home starts against Oakland.

Martinez, who was rested with a sore left big toe Wednesday, will return to catch Wakefield in the finale. He's hitting .462 with four homers in his last 11 games.