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Red Sox, Blue Jays trying to get the bats going

May 1, 2008 - 1:05 PM Toronto (11-17) at Boston (17-12) 7:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays will attempt to score before the seventh inning Thursday in the finale of a three-game series at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox have taken the first two games of the series, winning each in their last at-bat. Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon combined to outduel Roy Halladay in a 1-0 win Tuesday and Daisuke Matsuzaka and Dustin McGowan squared off in a 2-1 Boston win on Wednesday.

The offensive problems have been mounting for the Red Sox. David Ortiz's solo homer in the seventh inning Wednesday was Boston first extra-base hit since Manny Ramirez doubled in the fifth inning last Thursday.

The starting pitching has been stellar of late, as Red Sox starters have lasted at least seven innings in each of the last four games - allowing a total of three earned runs. Yet the starting staff has not earned a win during that period.

Tim Wakefield (2-0, 4.06 ERA) will try to break that string on Thursday. The veteran knuckleballer did not factor in the decision in his last start, allowing four runs - three earned - and six hits in six innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Wakefield will be going up against a Blue Jays team that has lost eight of their last nine games. Toronto has averaged 2.44 runs per game during that span.

The Blue Jays will send A.J. Burnett (2-2, 6.07) to the mound looking to reverse their losing trend. The righthander is coming off a loss at Kansas City in which he allowed five runs - three earned - and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings.