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Diamondbacks search for offense vs. Beckett, Red Sox

Jun 23, 2008 - 1:37 PM Arizona (39-37) at Boston (47-31) 7:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Finding consistent offense has been an elusive proposition for the Arizona Diamondbacks lately. It doesn't figure to get any easier against Boston Red Sox ace Josh Beckett.

The Diamondbacks look to avoid a fourth straight loss on Monday when they begin a three-game interleague series against the Red Sox.

Arizona, losers of six of its last eight contests, has fallen off considerably offensively after ranking near the top of the league in run scored through the season's first two months.

With 347 runs, the team stands in 12th place in the majors. However, the Diamondbacks have scored more than three runs just once in their last nine contests.

Scoring runs isn't the only concern for the Diamondbacks entering the series opener as they face Beckett (7-4, 3.87 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in June and unbeaten over his last four starts. The righthander went seven innings and struck out six, allowing just six hits in a 9-0 win over Cincinnati last Sunday.

He'll be opposed by Dan Haren (7-4, 3.26), who is still searching for his first road win of the season. The righthander, just 0-3 with a 4.62 ERA in six outings away from home, won his third straight decision in Wednesday's 11-1 rout of his former team, the Oakland Athletics.

In that outing, Haren allowed a run and four hits over seven frames.