DATE OPP. BOS TIME RED SOX STARTER OPPOSING STARTER TELEVISION
Sun., July 2 at FLA 1:05 p.m. LHP Jon Lester (3-0, 2.95) RHP Josh Johnson (7-4, 2.20) NESN
Mon., July 3 at TB 7:15 p.m. RHP Josh Beckett (10-3, 4.64) LHP Scott Kazmir (9-5, 3.59) NESN
Tues., July 4 at TB 4:15 p.m. RHP Curt Schilling (10-2, 3.54) LHP Casey Fossum (3-3, 5.03) NESN
Wed., July 5 at TB 7:15 p.m. RHP Jason Johnson (3-9, 6.22) RHP Tim Corcoran (2-0, 1.17) NESN
Thurs., July 6 at TB 7:15 p.m. RHP Tim Wakefield (6-8, 3.90) RHP James Shields (4-1, 4.39) NESN
---All games broadcast on 103.7 WEEI-FM and the Red Sox radio network and the Red Sox Spanish-language radio network---
RED SOX VS. N.L. IN 2006:
Record 15-2 (.882)
Batting Average .321 (198-for-616)
On-Base Percentage .395
Slugging Percentage .531
Runs 122
Runs per Game 7.2
Home Runs 29
ERA 3.83 (66 ER/155.0 IP)
Runs Allowed 67
Runs Allowed per Game 3.9
Average Against .239 (140-for-587)
Home Runs Allowed 17
STAYING ACTIVE: Mark Loretta has hit safely in 23 consecutive interleague games, the
longest active streak of its kind in the majors…he has hit safely in all 16 of his
interleague games in 2006 as well as his final 7 games in 2004…Mark has at
least one hit in every interleague game he has played starting June 20, 2004 with San Diego vs. Toronto . . . Here’s a look at the longest active interleague hitting streaks:
PLAYER, CLUB GAMES DATES
1. Mark Loretta, BOS 23 6/20/04-
2. N. Garciaparra, LAD 17 6/27/04-
3. Adrian Beltre, SEA 15 5/21/06-
Kenji Johjima, SEA 15 5/19/06-
Mark’s .341 career average in
interleague play ranks 3rd all-time
behind only Michael Young (.350) and
Larry Walker (.346) . . . Overall, Loretta has hit safely in 13
games in a row (.455, 24-for-55), tied
for the 2nd-longest active hitting streak
in the majors (with Nomar Garciaparra
trailing only Adrian Beltre, 14)…Mark is 3
games shy of his career-best 16-gamer
in 2001 with Milwaukee.
BACK ON TRACK: Manny Ramirez collected his 2,000th career hit, Tim Wakefield earned his 150th major league win in his 300th Red Sox start, and David Ortiz joined Ramirez with a 2-homer game as the Red Sox defeated the Marlins 11-5 to even this 3- game series at one win apiece . . . Winners in 13 of their last 14 games, the Red Sox wrap up their stay in Miami today and continue their 10-game road trip with 4 games at Tampa Bay startin tomorrow…the jaunt concludes with 3 games against the White Sox next weekend.
THAT'S A WRAP: Into this afternoon’s 2006 interleague season finale, the Red Sox are 15-2 (.882) vs. the National League this season and are tied with the Twins (15-2) for the best record in interleague play in 2006…the best single-season winning percentage in interleague history belongs to the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals (11-1, .917) . . . With a win today, the Sox would equal the 2002 Oakland Athletics (16-2) for the most wins by a club in a single interleague year…the Twins also can reach 16 wins in 2006 . . . Boston’s 15 wins are its most ever against the National League in a single season, shattering the previous mark of 12 set in 2005…the Red Sox have won 19 of their last 21 (.905) and are 24-3 in their last 27 interleague contests beginning June 12, 2005.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Red Sox have held sole possession of first place in the A.L. East for the last 14 days…the Sox have been in sole possession of or in a statistical tie for first place in the division for 78 of 89 days in 2006 . . . Owners of the 3rd-best record in all of baseball at 49-29 (.628) behind only the Detroit Tigers (55-26) and Chicago White Sox (53-27), the Red Sox boast their best record through 78 games in 20 years, when the 1986 club went 51-27 to start the season (with a loss in game 79) . . . The Red Sox enter the day with a 4.0-game lead in the A.L. East, matching their largest margin of the season (also began Friday with a 4.0-game edge)…the Red Sox were last more than 4.0 games up on August 17 (4.5) and August 13 (5.0) in 2005.
DYNAMIC DUO: David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez each hit 2 homers games yesterday, the 2nd time they have hit 2 homers in the same game as Red Sox teammates (also September 20, 2005 at Tampa Bay) . . . Ortiz and Ramirez have now homered in the same game 37 times since becoming teammates in 2003, the 3rd-best combo in Red Sox history (Dwight Evans and Jim Rice did so in 56 games while Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr did so in 38 games)…the Red Sox are now 33-4 (.892) when Ortiz and Ramirez homer in the same game.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Jon Lester today looks to become the first Red Sox rookie starter to win his first 4 decisions since Aaron Sele won his first 6 decisions in 1993…he also aims to become the first Red Sox rookie left-handed starter to win his first 4 decisions since Rick Jones in 1976 . . . Since 1960, only 8 Red Sox left-handers have won as many as 4 starts in their rookie campaigns, most recently done by Vaughn Eshelman, who won 5 starts as a Red Sox rookie in 1995 . . . Already this season, 5 Red Sox pitchers have earned their first major league win: Lester, Lenny DiNardo, Jermaine Van Buren, Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen.
WILY MO UPDATE: Wily Mo Pena last night played in his 2nd rehab game at short-season Single-A Lowell…he went 0-for-3 and played 6.0 innings in right field…he is expected to report to Triple-A Pawtucket today…Pena underwent left wrist surgery on June 1.
STILL STREAKING: In addition to Mark Loretta’s 13-game hitting streak, Alex Gonzalez is on an 11-game tear, tied for the 4th-longest active run in the majors.
IN 2006: The Red Sox and Marlins meet this weekend for the first time since 2003, when the Sox won 2 of 3 games at Fenway Park...this 3-game weekend set is Boston’s first in Miami since 2000 (Boston won 2 of 3 games).
ALL-TIME: Boston holds a 12-8 edge in the all-time regular season series…the Red Sox are 7-5 at home and 5-3 in Florida…in 6 total series, Boston has won 2 of 3 games each of the last 5, dropping a series just once in their first meeting in 1997 (1-2).
YOU LOOK FAMILIAR.: The Red Sox have 6 players on their 25-man roster or disabled list that have spent time in South Florida…Josh Beckett (2001-05), Mike Lowell (1999-2005) and Alex Gonzalez (1998-2005) won World Series rings with the Marlins in 2003…Matt Clement spent a season here in 2001, Julian Tavarez played for Florida in 2002 and Rudy Seanez spent part of 2004 with the Marlins.
DEFENSE RECORD: The Sox made a pair of errors last night to snap their 17-game errorless streak, a new major league record . . . Boston surpassed the previous major league record set by the St. Louis Cardinals July 30-August 16, 1992…on Thursday, the Sox broke the A.L. mark of 15 previously held by the Rangers from August 4-19, 1996…Boston’s last error had occurred June 11 vs. Texas (Kevin Youkilis in the first game of a doubleheader)…the Sox cleanly handled 668 chances between errors.
PREVIOUSLY ON 24: Jonathan Papelbon Thursday matched the Red Sox single-season rookie saves record with his 24th save…Dick Radatz earned 24 saves as a rookie in 1962.
MANNY HITS 2,000: Manny Ramirez yesterday became the 241st player to reach 2,000 career hits with a 3-run homer in the first inning…he is the 13th player to reach the milestone while wearing a Red Sox uniform, the first since Wade Boggs in 1992 . . . Ramirez and the Angels’ Garret Anderson each reached 2,000 hits yesterday, the first time 2 players have reached 2,000 hits on the same day since June 19, 1973, when Cincinnati’s Pete Rose and the Angels’ Willie Davis both reached 2,000 career hits (thanks to Elias for its research assistance).
