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Red Sox-Giants Preview

Jun 27, 2010 - 4:20 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Boston (44-31) at San Francisco (40-32), 4:05 p.m. EDT

The Boston Red Sox overcame the losses of their emerging ace and former MVP to continue their interleague success. Doing that against Tim Lincecum will be a much tougher challenge.

The Red Sox will try to solve the two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner as they conclude their interleague schedule against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

Boston (45-31) was already reeling after Dustin Pedroia was placed on the disabled list after breaking his left foot by fouling a ball off it during Friday's loss. The following day, 10-game winner Clay Buchholz hyperextended his left knee running the bases in the second inning, but the Red Sox were still able to beat the Giants 4-2 to even this three-game series.

Boston is 12-5 during interleague play, which has spurred a 23-11 stretch overall.

"We've played with so much better personality the last month and a half," manager Terry Francona said. "It's a good feeling. This team's forming its own personality."

Buchholz's status for his next start is uncertain, but replacing Pedroia's bat is a problem. The second baseman and 2008 AL MVP was hitting .491 with four homers and 13 RBIs in his last 14 games.

Bill Hall, who went 0 for 2 with a walk Saturday, likely will start in Pedroia's place. Hall is batting .226 with five homers and 16 RBIs.

The Red Sox now have to contend with Lincecum (8-2, 2.86 ERA), who has a 1.64 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 22 innings in winning his last three starts.

The hard-throwing right-hander was superb Tuesday, yielding an unearned run and scattering seven hits while fanning seven in eight innings of a 3-1 win at Houston.

"It seems to be a battle every time out there," Lincecum told the team's official website. "I kind of want it to be a little more simple and give up less hits."

Lincecum has been outstanding in his last six interleague starts, going 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA. However, he'll make his first appearance against Boston, which is averaging 5.9 runs over 34 games.

The Red Sox will counter the two-time All-Star with Jon Lester (8-3, 3.03), who wouldn't mind getting some support in his first meeting versus the Giants (40-33).

The left-hander had his eight-game winning streak end in hard-luck fashion Tuesday, when he allowed one run with six strikeouts in six innings of a 2-1 loss at Colorado.

Lester, though, has thrived during interleague play, going 6-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 12 starts.

The Giants have lost only twice in nine home games, and their 25-13 record there ranks among the best in the NL.

Pablo Sandoval has been a big part of that success at AT&T Park, hitting .324 with four homers and 20 RBIs compared to a .226 average with two homers and 10 RBIs on the road.

The third baseman has three hits in this series, improving to 8 for 23 with two homers and four RBIs in seven home games.