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Beckett, Red Sox go for sweep of Twins

Jul 9, 2008 - 12:05 PM Minnesota (50-40) at Boston (54-39) 1:05 p.m. EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Manny Ramirez will try to stay hot Wednesday when the Boston Red Sox attempt to complete a three-game series sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

The Red Sox have ridden the resurgent bat of Ramirez, who was named to his 12th All-Star team Sunday, to victories in the first two games of the series.

They scraped out a 1-0 win Monday when Ramirez laced an RBI single into right field in the eighth inning and pulled out a 6-5 triumph Tuesday when the enigmatic slugger tied the game in the eighth with a two-run blast.

Ramirez entered the series in a 2-for-19 slump which culminated in a pinch hitting appearance Sunday night against the Yankees. With the go-ahead run on third base, Ramirez struck out looking on three straight pitches and Boston went on to lose 5-4.

Josh Beckett (8-5, 3.70 ERA) will take the mound for Boston, which owns a major league-best 33-10 home mark. The ace righthander is coming off a win at New York on Friday in which he allowed four hits and three runs in six innings.

The 27-year-old Beckett is 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA over his last eight starts, striking out 49 in 53 innings.

The Twins will counter with veteran righthander Livan Hernandez (9-5, 5.18). The Cuba native has been the subject of trade rumors recently and is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA over his last four starts.

Hernandez earned a win against the Red Sox on May 12, allowing three runs and 10 hits in six innings.