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Bay, Red Sox set for battle with White Sox

Aug 8, 2008 - 10:05 AM Boston (66-49) at Chi White Sox (63-50) 8:11 p.m. EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- New acquisition Jason Bay and the Boston Red Sox will be looking to make a statement this weekend when they visit the Chicago White Sox for a four-game series beginning Friday.

The Red Sox are 5-1 since Bay arrived at the July 31 deadline, and the 29-year-old left fielder has fit in quite nicely, batting .423 (11-for-23) with six RBI and 10 runs scored.

Bay had two hits and scored two runs Wednesday at Kansas City as Boston won the rubber match of a three-game series, 8-2.

The Red Sox have had trouble on the road all season, posting a 23-29 record away from Fenway Park, and the American League Central-leading White Sox figure to be a bigger test than the Royals.

Both Chicago and Boston are locked in battles at the tops of their respective divisions, with the White Sox up one-half game on the Minnesota Twins (63-51) and the Red Sox 2 1/2 back of the Tampa Bay Rays (68-46) in the AL East.

Boston will send lefthander Jon Lester (10-3, 3.14 ERA) to the mound. The 24-year-old is quickly becoming one of the top pitchers in the AL, currently ranking sixth in the league in ERA and tying for the league lead with a pair of shutouts.

Lester has not suffered a loss since May 23 at Oakland and is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA over his last three starts.

Chicago will counter with veteran Mark Buehrle (8-10, 4.07). The lefthander has struggled of late, allowing 12 earned runs and 22 hits in 9 1/3 frames while losing his last two starts.