Red Sox v Athletics Preview: Wakefield v Harden

With a sweep of the Kansas City Royals, the Red Sox remain the best team in baseball (.620 W%)... and the best team at home (21-5). But the Sox will have to play their next 10 games away from the friendly confines of Fenway park, starting with a trip to Oakland.

Tim Wakefield will face Rich Harden in tonight's west coast match-up. Harden looked strong in hid last outing, holding the Atlanta braves to 1 run and 4 hits, while fanning 8 in the 5-4 win. It was his second start since returning from the DL with a shoulder injury, and just his 4th start this season.

Harden has great stuff, but he's just 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in 4 starts against the Red Sox. That said, he has already seen the Sox twice this year, and has a win and an ND, while holding the Sox to 7 hits and 1 run (a Manny home run) in 11.1 innings... he also racked up 15 total strikeouts in those two games.

Tim Wakefield also started his last game on May 17th. The Sox won 7-6, but Wake was erased from the game after giving up 3 runs through 5 1/3 innings. After pitching 8 solid innings in Detroit on May 6th, in which he gave up just 2 hits and walked no one, the "Knuckleballah" lasted just 2 2/3 innings at the Metradome, giving up 7 runs and talking the loss. He looked better in his last outing against the Brewers, but it's always a roller coaster with Wakefield...

Bottom Line: The A's have won just 3 of the their last 10, while the Sox have won 7 in a row... but the Sox are a mediocre 10-14 on the road this year... and went 4-6 on their last road trip...

Guys to watch:

Manny is 3 for 8 with 3 home runs off of Harden... could tonight be the night he finally gets #499 ???

Big Papi is also 5-8 (.625) with a double and two ding dongs against Harden, who has given up a home run in 46% (37/80) of his starts...

2B Mark Ellis owns a .426 BA (6-14) against Wakefield, but he's missed the last 9 games with a sore shoulder.

Jack Cust went 2-4 with 2 home runs against he Rays yesterday. Cust is 3 for 8 with 2 doubles against Wake and tends to hit his homers in bunches...