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Blue Jays-Red Sox Preview

May 20, 2009 - 1:44 PM By CHRIS ALTRUDA STATS Editor

Toronto (27-15) at Boston (23-16), 7:10 p.m. EDT

For the Boston Red Sox, the question isn't if David Ortiz will end his season-long slump, but when it will happen.

Ortiz likely will get another crack at it Wednesday night when the Red Sox continue their three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (27-15) at Fenway Park.

Ortiz made his first appearance after a three-day respite that included the final two games of Boston's set with Seattle and an off day Monday. But the power hitter went 0-for-3 with a walk in Boston's 2-1 victory Tuesday as his average dropped to .203 and his homerless drought reached a career-high 147 at-bats dating back to last September.

The low point may have come in the eighth inning, when the fans rose in support with a "Papi!" chant, only to see the slugger strike out for the 30th time in 130 at-bats.

Despite his struggles, both his teammates and manager are optimistic Ortiz will rediscover the stroke that launched 112 homers from 2006-08 and kept the Red Sox (23-16) among the major league's elite teams.

"We're pulling for him, and we all feel for him," third baseman Mike Lowell said. "He's very proud and a guy that just wants to help the team out, so we're expecting him to do some good things for us."

Red Sox manager Terry Francona, already using a makeshift lineup with injured cleanup hitter Kevin Youkilis finishing a minor league rehabilitation assignment, is hesitant to move Ortiz from his customary No. 3 spot in the lineup for both the team's offense and Ortiz's psyche.

"David and I talked about that a little bit," Francona said. "This is hard. I don't want to tell a player 'If you struggle, we're going to move you.' I don't want to do that. I think our best lineup is with him hitting third."

Youkilis, batting .393 with six homers and 20 RBIs in 25 games, is expected to rejoin the Red Sox for this game after going hitless in six at-bats with Triple-A Pawtucket. He has been on the disabled list since May 12 with a strained left oblique muscle.

Perhaps the good news for Ortiz is that he will have a clean slate against Blue Jays rookie Brett Cecil (2-0, 1.80 ERA), who makes his first appearance against the Red Sox and fourth start since being called up May 1 due to a spate of injuries to Toronto's rotation.

The 22-year-old left-hander, though, has been effective. Cecil has won his last two starts and allowed three runs - coming on two homers - in six innings of an 8-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday.

"I'm having a lot of fun up here," said Cecil, who's conceded five runs in 20 innings over his four starts. "I'm enjoying the experience. Hopefully it continues."

Boston seeks its third win in four games behind Brad Penny (3-1, 6.69), who has been underwhelming in his seven starts since signing with the Red Sox in the offseason as a free agent. The right-hander has been reached for at least three runs in each of his starts and not pitched more than 6 1-3 innings in any of his seven outings.

Penny did not get a decision Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels, yielding four runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-4, 12-inning loss by the Red Sox. He did fare well against the Blue Jays while pitching in interleague games, going 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in four lifetime starts for Florida and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but has not faced Toronto since 2007.