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New Red Sox P Byrd opens up series against Blue Jays

Aug 22, 2008 - 10:22 AM Boston (73-54) at Toronto (66-61) 7:07 p.m. EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Toronto Blue Jays are starting to look familiar to Paul Byrd.

The Red Sox' righthander, picked up in a recent trade with the Cleveland Indians, will face the Blue Jays for a third consecutive start on Friday.

Byrd's final start with with Cleveland was one of his best. He went the distance, allowing six hits and no walks and striking out two in a 4-2 victory over Toronto. A week later, Byrd (7-11, 4.55 ERA) was in a different uniform but his opponent was the same. He didn't fare as well, giving up 10 hits and four earned runs in taking a 4-1 loss in his Boston debut.

With Josh Beckett unable to make his scheduled start due to numbness in his pitching hand, the Red Sox need a better outing from Byrd. The Red Sox are 4 1/2 games behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays (77-49) in the American League East, and face a Blue Jay team that has owned them.

Boston is just 2-6 against Toronto this season, including a two-game sweep at Fenway Park last weekend.

Taking the hill for the Blue Jays will be righthander Shaun Marcum (8-5, 3.36), who had an easy night in his last outing, a 15-4 triumph over the Red Sox on Sunday. He lasted just five innings, giving up five hits, one run and four walks while striking out four, but by that point the victory was already well in hand.

The Blue Jays have won seven of their last nine to climb back into the wild-card chase. They are seven games behind the Red Sox.