Projo Sox Blog

If you have tickets for tonight's opening game of the Red Sox-Yankees series at Fenway Park, you can count on conditions being unpleasant. But don't assume that the American League's top two teams (O.K., the Sox are tied with the Rangers for the league's second-best record) won't play.

The latest hourly forecast on weather.com calls for rain throughout the afternoon and early evening, but the showers look like they will become less numerous around game time, eventually giving way to just generally cloudy and damp conditions. It will be cold -- with temperatures in the mid-50s.

The Red Sox will be looking to tie New York for the top spot in the American League East, and they will also seek to go 6-0 against the Yankees this season; they have not won six in a row in a single season against their biggest rivals since 1974.

Josh Beckett will make his 15th career regular-season start against the Yankees: His record against New York is an impressive 8-4, but his E.R.A. is a not-very-impressive 5.80. A.J. Burnett, meanwhile, goes for the Yankees. He will be making his 10th career start against Boston, a team he has never lost to, going 5-0 with a 3.52 E.R.A. The last time these two former Florida teammates faced each other was April 25; both pitchers were horrendous (although neither got a decision) in the Red Sox' 16-11 victory.

After a tough start to the season, Burnett's looked pretty good lately, winning his last two starts (both against Texas), while giving up just three runs and striking out 15 in 13 innings. Beckett is unbeaten in his last six starts, going 4-0 with a 1.94 E.R.A. and 37 strikeouts in 41.2 innings over that time.

Interesting note: David Ortiz enters this series batting .316 (6 for 19) with four doubles and five RBI against the Yankees this season.

Here's how the Yankee hitters have fared in their careers against Beckett:

Angel Berroa: 3 for 8 (.375), 2B
Melky Cabrera: 12 for 33 (.364), 3 2B, 2 BB
Nick Swisher: 5 for 14 (.357), HR, 3 BB
Jorge Posada: 9 for 26 (.346), 2B, 2 BB
Derek Jeter: 14 for 41 (.341), 2B, HR, 2 BB
Robinson Cano: 12 for 36 (.333), 4 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB
Alex Rodriguez: 11 for 34 (.324), 3 2B, HR, 4 BB
Johnny Damon: 12 for 38 (.316), 5 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB
Hideki Matsui: 4 for 20 (.200), 3B, BB
Mark Teixeira: 2 for 12 (.167), 3 BB
Brett Gardner: 0 for 8
Ramiro Pena: 0 for 3

And here's the Red Sox hitters against Burnett:

Jason Bay: 6 for 16 (.375), 2B, HR, 2 BB
Dustin Pedroia: 6 for 20 (.300), 2 HR, 6 BB
Mark Kotsay: 3 for 10 (.300), 2 2B, BB
Jason Varitek: 5 for 17 (.294), 2 2B, HR, BB
J.D. Drew: 5 for 18 (.278), 2B, 5 BB
Jacoby Ellsbury: 5 for 18 (.278), HR
Nick Green: 2 for 8 (.250), 3B
David Ortiz: 6 for 25 (.240), 3 2B, HR, BB
Kevin Youkilis: 5 for 22 (.227), BB
Mike Lowell: 4 for 20 (.200), 2B, BB
Julio Lugo: 3 for 17 (.176), HR, 2 BB
Rocco Baldelli: 2 for 13 (.154)
George Kottaras: 0 for 1

 Tags  A.J. Burnett Josh Beckett New York Yankees

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