• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Red Sox look to salvage short series vs. Blue Jays

Aug 17, 2008 - 6:38 AM Toronto (63-60) at Boston (71-52) 1:35 p.m. EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox will be looking to avoid a sweep when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a rain-shortened two-game series on Sunday.

The Red Sox had built up a good bit of offensive momentum before the Blue Jays came to town, piling up 37 runs in a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers earlier in the week.

But a rainout on Friday forced them to wait another day, and Roy Halladay made sure they never found a rhythm on Saturday - taking a shutout into the ninth inning in Toronto's 4-1 victory.

Boston remains 3 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays (74-48) in the American League East standing and sits 1 1/2 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins (69-53) and Chicago White Sox (69-53) in the wild-card race.

The Red Sox will go for the series split behind ace Josh Beckett (11-8, 3.92). The veteran righthander has won each of his last two starts, allowing a combined three runs in 14 2/3 innings while notching 16 strikeouts against the Royals and White Sox.

Beckett has not faced Toronto since his first outing of the season on April 6, when he allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings to suffer a loss.

The Blue Jays will counter with righthander Shaun Marcum (7-5, 3.42). The 26-year-old sat out over a month between June and July with strained ligaments in his right elbow and posted a 9.82 ERA in three starts after his return.

But his past two outings have been solid, with Marcum earning the win in each while allowing three runs in 13 frames.