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Red Sox hope to recapture early-season form

Aug 7, 2007 - 2:41 PM Boston (68-44) at LA Angels (65-46) 10:05 pm EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Even Curt Schilling's long-anticipated return could not stop the Boston Red Sox's gradual loss of their once large division lead. They look to stop the slow decline as they continue their three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday.

Schilling fared well in his first start since being sidelined with right shoulder tendinitis since June 18, but took the loss as Maicer Izturis hit a solo homer off the righthander in the seventh to break up a 2-2 tie and provide the Angels with all the offense they would need in their eventual 4-2 win.

After holding a 11 1/2-game lead in the American League East over the second-place New York Yankees (62-50) just over a month ago, the Red Sox have gone just 15-13 while the Yankees closed its gap by going 21-8.

However, Boston will send one of its hotter pitchers of late to the mound in Tim Wakefield (13-9, 4.55 ERA). A winner of three straight starts, he will look to match teammate Josh Beckett and three other pitchers for the major league lead in wins.

The knuckleballer, who incidentally has not been involved in a no-decision this season, tossed seven solid innings in a 7-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. Pitching on his 41st birthday, he allowed three runs in seven innings to give him his sixth wins in seven starts.

Wakefield is 9-10 with a 4.54 ERA in 26 lifetime appearances - 21 starts - against the Angels, including a one-run, seven-inning outing on April 13 in a 10-1 win.

Anaheim will answer with Joe Saunders (5-0, 3.10), who has faced Boston just one other time in his career, drawing a no-decision despite yielding only two unearned runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-3 win over the Red Sox last August 22. He has won seven straight decisions and has not lost a start since last September 13 - a span of 16 starts.

In Thursday's 6-4 win over Oakland, the lefthander permitted two runs over 6 2/3 innings. Anaheim has won each of his last seven starts with its only loss coming in his season debut.