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Red Sox, Tigers play two at Comerica

May 29, 2011 - 2:34 PM (Sports Network) - Clay Buchholz tries to push his unbeaten streak to six starts this afternoon when the Boston Red Sox conclude their four-game series against the Detroit Tigers with a day/night doubleheader at Comerica Park.

The double-dip was made necessary when Saturday's contest was postponed by rain. For the Tigers, it marked the fourth time in nine scheduled home games that a game had been postponed.

After opening the year with just one win through his first five starts and pitching to a 5.33 earned run average, Buchholz has gone 3-0 over his last five appearances and has allowed two runs or less in each outing to lower his ERA to 3.30.

The right-hander pitched well enough to get the win on Monday in Cleveland, as he allowed two runs and four hits over 7 1/3 innings to the upstart Tribe, but did not factor in the decision when the bullpen failed to hold the lead in a 3-2 loss.

"That's why their record is what it is," Buchholz said of the Indians. "They swing the bats well, they pitch well. You give up two runs, you expect to win if you pitch seven or eight innings.

Buchholz tossed seven scoreless innings and a career-high 127 pitches in a no- decision against the Tigers two starts ago and is 1-1 with a 2.23 ERA in five starts.

The Tigers will counter with one of their top prospects in the first game in right-hander Andrew Oliver, who gets the start in place of an injured Phil Coke. Oliver, 23, made his big league debut a year ago, but went 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA in five starts last June and July, filling a rotation spot after Rick Porcello was sent down to work through a sophomore slump.

"Oliver's obviously a top prospect," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Is he ready? I can't answer that. This is one of those deals where if Coke hadn't been injured, we wouldn't be talking about this right now, today. We might be at some point in the season, but we would not be talking about it today."

In eight starts at Triple-A Toledo this season Oliver was 4-3 with a 3.26 ERA, while striking out 48 batters over 49 2/3 innings.

The nightcap tonight, though, features two of the best pitchers in baseball, as Josh Beckett goes for Boston and will be opposed by Justin Verlander for the second time in less than two weeks. Neither pitcher received a decision in that May 19 contest, a game won by the Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth inning.

But, because of Major League Baseball's national network windows of exclusivity the terrific pitching matchup will not be broadcast anywhere, as ESPN has the rights for the Sunday night slot and local television for game telecasts beginning after 5:05 p.m. are not allowed.

Beckett enters this contest 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA after allowing just a run in 6 2/3 innings to beat the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday. He is unbeaten over his last nine starts and has allowed two runs or less in eight of those outings and more than one just twice.

"I think he's been so consistent, which is a great thing," said Boston manager Terry Francona. "I think he feels good about himself. He should."

Beckett is 3-1 lifetime against the Tigers with a 2.41 ERA in five starts.

Verlander, meanwhile, had his streak of 10 straight quality starts to begin the season stopped on Tuesday against Tampa Bay, as he allowed six runs and nine hits in six innings. He did not factor in the decision of that one, though, and remained 4-3 on the year, but saw his ERA jump to 3.42.

Verlander 2-2 in six starts against the Red Sox with a 3.80 ERA.

Boston has won the first two games of this set and on Friday Jacoby Ellsbury had a pair of hits, including a solo home run, and scored twice to help the Red Sox to a 6-3 win.

Carl Crawford belted a two-run shot and Kevin Youkilis drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who have outscored their opponents 38-8 during a four-game win streak.

"We're on a roll right now," Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. "We just keep going out every day and playing winning baseball. It's been fun and we're going to keep it going."

Veteran Tim Wakefield (2-1) tossed seven innings to get the win, allowing just two runs on five hits.

Jhonny Peralta had a solo shot and an RBI double for Detroit, which has lost seven of its last 10 games.

Starter Rick Porcello (4-3) was touched for six runs on six hits in just three innings to suffer the loss. The right-hander walked two and struck out a pair.

"I had no consistency with anything really," Porcello said. "I had trouble locating the fastball. I fell behind guys and you're going to have success when you do that."

Boston has also won six straight and 17 of its last 22 versus the Tigers.