Boston (73-54) at Toronto (66-61)

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bos

Byrd, Sox look for payback vs. Jays

Ian Browne / MLB.com
The Red Sox have had enough to worry about lately, trying to close the gap on the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East and stave off the pesky Twins in the Wild Card standings. But after Thursday's off-day, the Red Sox have a whole different challenge when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays.
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Red Sox probable pitcher

Paul Byrd

  • #36 RHP
  • (7-11) 4.55 ERA 56 SO
Red Sox: There was little secret about what the Sox were acquiring when they traded for Byrd on Aug. 12. The 37-year-old veteran wasn't going to throw shutouts, just keep the team in a position to win. He did just that in his first start with the Sox, a 4-1 loss, thanks to Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays. Byrd will look to get a little payback in Toronto in his second start, which, coincidently, will be the third consecutive outing that he's faced the Jays.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 104-92 4.37 1621.1 380 886 .275
Season 7-11 4.55 138.1 24 56 .285
August 2-1 2.70 23.1 2 3 .253
Vs. Toronto 1-1 3.31 16.1 0 2 .258

Series at a Glance

Standings - 08/22/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Boston Red Sox (AL East) 73 54 .575 4.5 43-18 30-36
Toronto Blue Jays (AL East) 66 61 .520 11.5 36-27 30-34
Stats - 08/22/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
BOS .282 656 139 621 95 830 3.96 1128.2 1064 448 921
TOR .261 554 88 524 74 736 3.61 1135.2 1056 373 934
tor

Scutaro more than just utilityman

David Singh / MLB.com
For a player with the "utilityman" label attached to his name, Marco Scutaro has found himself in the Blue Jays' starting lineup more often than not this season.
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Blue Jays probable pitcher

Shaun Marcum

  • #28 RHP
  • (8-5) 3.36 ERA 107 SO
Blue Jays: Facing Boston in his last start, Marcum collected the win as the Jays completed a two-game sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Toronto right-hander allowed one run on five hits over five innings. He walked four and struck out four, while exhausting 95 pitches. Over his past three starts, he is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA across 18 innings. He is 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA in his career against Boston.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 23-15 3.97 376.2 132 298 .245
Season 8-5 3.36 131.1 41 107 .221
August 3-0 4.03 22.1 8 16 .271
Vs. Boston 2-0 3.00 12.0 5 12 .195

Red Sox hitters vs Shaun Marcum

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Brian .000 2 0 0 .250 4 0 0
Baldelli, Rocco - - - - .000 3 0 0
Bates, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Bay, Jason .000 1 0 0 .333 3 0 0
Brown, Dusty - - - - - - - -
Drew, J.D. .333 3 1 3 .222 9 1 4
Ellsbury, Jacoby .200 5 0 0 .200 10 0 2
Gonzalez, Alex - - - - .000 1 0 0
Hermida, Jeremy - - - - - - - -
Iglesias, Jose - - - - - - - -
Kotchman, Casey .333 6 0 0 .222 9 0 0
Lowell, Mike .333 3 0 0 .385 13 0 3
Lowrie, Jed 1.000 1 0 0 .500 2 0 0
Martinez, Victor .333 3 0 0 .500 8 1 2
Ortiz, David .000 4 0 0 .143 14 0 0
Pedroia, Dustin .000 6 0 0 .111 18 1 2
Reddick, Josh - - - - - - - -
Varitek, Jason .500 2 0 0 .400 10 0 0
Wagner, Mark - - - - - - - -
Woodward, Chris - - - - - - - -
Youkilis, Kevin .200 5 1 1 .250 20 2 2

Blue Jays hitters vs Paul Byrd

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Barajas, Rod .333 3 0 0 .333 12 0 1
Bautista, Jose - - - - - - - -
Chavez, Raul - - - - - - - -
Dopirak, Brian - - - - - - - -
Encarnacion, Edwin - - - - - - - -
Hill, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Hoffpauir, Jarrett - - - - - - - -
Inglett, Joe .625 8 0 0 .600 15 0 0
Lind, Adam .143 7 1 1 .200 15 1 2
McCoy, Mike - - - - - - - -
McDonald, John .000 6 0 0 .111 18 0 0
Millar, Kevin - - - - .333 6 1 1
Overbay, Lyle .429 7 0 0 .474 19 1 3
Ruiz, Randy - - - - - - - -
Scutaro, Marco .286 7 0 1 .320 25 0 3
Snider, Travis - - - - .500 4 1 4
Wells, Vernon .250 4 0 1 .182 22 0 2

Boston bats show strong in opener (74-54) (66-62)

Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 4

Four-run fourth

David Singh / MLB.com
The Red Sox scored in the first inning on Dustin Pedroia's homer, but Paul Byrd gave the lead right back in the bottom of the frame. It was 2-1 until the Red Sox put up a four-spot in the fourth inning, giving Boston the lead for good. Paul Byrd earned his first win in a Red Sox uniform.

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Series at a Glance

 

Marcum ineffective

Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
The Blue Jays put up early runs to support Shaun Marcum, highlighted by Alex Rios' two-run homer in the first inning. But Marcum, who was solid through three innings, was knocked out in the fourth and took the loss, as the Jays fell to eight games back in the Wild Card race.
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Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 4

BostonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Ellsbury, RF5012005.267
Pedroia, 2B4123011.320
Ortiz, DH4000113.263
Youkilis, 1B5010023.320
Bay, LF4110102.292
Lowrie, 3B4100122.303
Varitek, C3321100.222
Cora, SS3111011.292
Crisp, CF4131012.259
Totals3681184819 

BATTING
2B: Youkilis (34, Marcum).
HR: Pedroia (13, 1st inning off Marcum, 0 on, 1 out), Varitek (11, 6th inning off Tallet, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Ellsbury; Pedroia 5; Youkilis 2; Bay; Varitek 5; Cora; Crisp 3.
RBI: Pedroia 3 (61), Cora (7), Crisp (30), Ellsbury 2 (37), Varitek (36).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bay; Ellsbury; Ortiz; Pedroia; Youkilis 2.
SF: Pedroia.
GIDP: Lowrie.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Crisp (15, 2nd base off Tallet/Zaun).

FIELDING
DP: 2 (Pedroia-Cora-Youkilis, Cora-Youkilis).
Pickoffs: Byrd (Inglett at 1st base).
 
TorontoABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Inglett, 2B4120102.311
Scutaro, 3B3000113.266
Rios, RF3112102.289
Wells, V, CF4000002.280
Lind, LF4110020.302
Overbay, 1B4122010.269
Stairs, DH1000100.248
  a-Bautista, J, PH-DH1000000.241
Zaun, C4000023.226
McDonald, SS4020001.231
Totals324844613 

a-Grounded out for Stairs in the 8th.

BATTING
HR: Rios (10, 1st inning off Byrd, 1 on, 1 out), Overbay (10, 4th inning off Byrd, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Inglett 2; Rios 4; Lind; Overbay 5; McDonald 2.
RBI: Rios 2 (60), Overbay 2 (51).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Zaun; Wells, V.
GIDP: Inglett 2.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
SB: Inglett (8, 2nd base off Byrd/Varitek).
PO: Inglett (1st base by Byrd).

FIELDING
DP: (Scutaro-Inglett-Overbay).
 
BostonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Byrd (W, 8-11)6.06442424.61
Masterson (H, 1)1.01002003.30
Okajima 1.00000102.84
Papelbon 1.01000101.81
 
TorontoIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Marcum (L, 8-6)3.26552213.60
Tallet 2.02111212.95
Frasor 1.10001304.07
Camp 2.03220104.03

HBP: Stairs (by Byrd), Cora (by Marcum), Varitek (by Camp).
Pitches-strikes: Byrd 86-61, Masterson 21-9, Okajima 17-10, Papelbon 14-10, Marcum 77-46, Tallet 37-21, Frasor 33-20, Camp 37-26.
Groundouts-flyouts: Byrd 5-8, Masterson 3-0, Okajima 2-0, Papelbon 2-0, Marcum 2-7, Tallet 2-2, Frasor 0-1, Camp 4-1.
Batters faced: Byrd 26, Masterson 5, Okajima 3, Papelbon 3, Marcum 20, Tallet 8, Frasor 5, Camp 10.
Inherited runners-scored: Tallet 1-0, Frasor 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Greg Gibson. 1B: Charlie Reliford. 2B: Angel Campos. 3B: Kevin Causey.
Weather: 79 degrees, clear.
Wind: 9 mph, R to L.
T: 3:18.
Att: 40,181.
August 22, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner