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Red Sox hope to continue home success vs. Twins

Jul 8, 2008 - 1:06 PM Minnesota (50-39) at Boston (53-39) 7:05 p.m. EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox are happy to be home.

The Red Sox will look to earn their fourth consecutive victory at Fenway Park on Tuesday when they host the Minnesota Twins.

Boston suffered through a 3-7 road trip that included a sweep at the hands of Tampa Bay Rays (55-33), who have taken over first in the American League East standings. After splitting a four-game series at Yankee Stadium over the weekend, Boston sits six games behind the Rays in the loss column.

But Fenway Park has been the solution to many of the Red Sox's problems this season, and, buoyed by the home crowd, the team pulled out a 1-0 win over the Twins in the series opener Monday. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings and Manny Ramirez broke out of a 2-for-19 slump with an RBI single in the eighth inning to plate the game's lone run.

The win improved Boston's home record to 32-20 - the best mark in the American League - and snapped Minnesota's five-game winning streak.

The Red Sox will send lefthander Jon Lester (7-3, 3.21 ERA) to the mound Tuesday. The 24-year-old is coming off a shutout of the New York Yankees last Thursday in which he allowed five hits and walked two while striking out eight.

Lester, who could make a convincing case to join the AL All-Star team, is 6-1 with a 2.41 ERA in his last 13 starts.

Minnesota will counter with rookie Nick Blackburn (7-4, 3.78). The righthander is coming off a strong outing against the Detroit Tigers last Wednesday in which he allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings to earn the win.

Blackburn faced Boston earlier this season, earning a win on May 11 despite allowing nine hits and four runs in six frames.