Game 1: Brett Anderson, (4-7, 5.45) @ John Smoltz, (0-1, 6.00) Scouting Report: Athletics: Anderson on Monday turned in 5 1/3 solid innings in his first start since June 20, beating virtually the same Tigers lineup that pounded him for nine runs (three earned) over 3 1/3 innings in Detroit on May 15. Given four extra days of rest after complaining of forearm tightness following his previous start, Anderson gave up one run on four hits and four walks while striking out seven to pick up his first win since June 4. Red Sox: Smoltz was well on his way to victory No. 1 as a member if the Red Sox rotation last Tuesday in Baltimore, but a rain delay shortened the right-hander's outing to four innings. After mixed results against Washington in his season debut, the 42-year-old held the Orioles to one run on three hits in an eventual 11-10 Boston loss. Making his first start of the season at Fenway Park, where he has not allowed an earned run in 20 2/3 career innings, Smoltz is 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA in three lifetime appearances (one start) against Oakland. Game 2: Dallas Braden, (6-7, 3.13) @ Josh Beckett, (9-3, 3.67) Scouting Report: Athletics: Braden entered his most recent start, Wednesday at home against the Tigers, with the worst run support in the American League, at 3.35 runs per nine innings, and he'd received one run or fewer in nine of his 16 starts. Two-run homers from Jack Cust and Jason Giambi, then, represented a bonanza for Braden, who responded with seven solid innings -- one run on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts -- to pick up his first win since June 5. A command specialist with a plus changeup, Braden beat Boston with six innings of six-hit work (two earned runs) in the second week of this season. Red Sox: Beckett fought through four sub-par innings to open last Wednesday's game against the Orioles before settling down and setting the stage for a dramatic Boston comeback. The Red Sox ace did not allow a baserunner after Ty Wigginton's home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth, retiring the final 12 batters he faced in a seven-inning effort. He allowed five runs on six hits while striking out five, as Boston rallied for a 6-5 win in 11 innings. Beckett is 2-3 with a 4.88 ERA in career five starts against the A's. Game 3: Trevor Cahill, (5-7, 4.55) @ Tim Wakefield, RHP (10-3, 4.30) Scouting Report: Athletics: Cahill was roughed up for the second straight outing in a 15-3 loss to the Indians on Friday. The right-hander couldn't throw strikes and, as result, an Indians team that had lost five straight and scored just 13 runs combined in those losses, hit him hard. Cahill pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up eight runs (five earned) and six hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Just 50 of his 95 pitches were thrown for strikes. The only positive for Cahill was that he was missing down in the zone unlike his previous start against the Rockies when he gave up four homers. Cahill wil try to regroup Wednesday against the Red Sox. It will be his first career start against Boston. Red Sox: Wakefield's record-breaking 383rd start as a member of the Red Sox last Friday certainly wasn't his most memorable. Despite logging eight innings against the Mariners at Fenway Park, the 42-year-old knuckleballer was tagged for five runs on 10 hits. In 38 lifetime appearances against the A's, Wakefield is 10-6 with a 4.07 ERA. He pitched arguably his best game of the season April 15 in Oakland, allowing two runs on four hits in a complete-game victory. ________________________________________________________________ A lot going on in this series. Smoltz makes his Fenway debut tonight, Sox send their two All Star starters out the next two games, and Nomar makes his first trip back to Fenway. Anything less than 2 of 3 is unacceptable in this series.
In the offseason I said of the Penny/Smoltz signings that one of them probably wouldn't work, thinking it would be Penny. But maybe Smoltz is going to be the one that doesn't.
I'm going to use a variation of the Yankees lame excuse. It must have been because we've only seen him once before.
Braden placed on the bereavement list today, and Dana Eveland has been recalled to start for Oakland tonight.
