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Red Sox, Blue Jays battle for second place in AL East

Sep 23, 2006 - 2:59 PM Boston (83-71) at Toronto (80-73) 4:07 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox are determined not to finish in third place in the American League East Division.

The Red Sox can widen their lead for second place in the AL East Saturday as they continue a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Since 1998, the New York Yankees have won every AL East title and the Red Sox have finished in second. After the Yankees clinched on Wednesday, second place is what the Red Sox are playing for.

Boston moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Toronto with a 7-1 win in Friday's series opener. Julian Tavarez fired a seven-hitter, Mike Lowell homered and Alex Gonzalez drove in three runs.

Dervern Hansack (NR) will make his major league debut for the Red Sox. He spent the entire season for the Eastern League champion Portland Sea Dogs, going 8-7 with a 3.26 ERA in 31 appearances. Hansack also pitched the decisive fifth game against Akron when he allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Toronto, which has won eight of 14 meetings from Boston, counters with A.J. Burnett (8-8, 3.97), who makes his final home start of the season.

One of Burnett's two complete games this season came against the Red Sox, as he fired a three-hitter in a 5-1 victory in Boston three weeks ago.