Red Sox vs. Pirates Preview
PITTSBURGH (AP) – In September 1993, Tim Wakefield ended his season with a pair of shutouts at Three Rivers Stadium. He would never pitch again for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who eventually released him.
Eighteen years and 183 wins later, Wakefield finally returns to Pittsburgh on Saturday night as the Boston Red Sox continue their series with the Pirates at PNC Park.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog have made the Red Sox -135 money line favorites for Saturday’s game against the Pirates. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 79% of more than 549 bets for this game have been placed on the Red Sox -133.
A converted infielder, Wakefield (4-2, 4.26 ERA) reached the majors for Pittsburgh in 1992 as a knuckleballing phenom, going 8-1 with a 2.15 ERA as a rookie and winning two more games in that season’s NL championship series. He regressed the following year, going 6-11 with a 5.61 ERA and a lengthy stint in the minors, though he shut out the Cubs and Phillies in his final two starts.
After the Pirates released Wakefield in April 1995, the Red Sox signed him off the scrap heap. With some help from the legendary Niekro brothers, Wakefield rediscovered his knuckler and has been a Boston fixture ever since. Now 44, he is the franchise’s all-time leader in starts and innings pitched, and needs 10 wins to surpass Roger Clemens and Cy Young (192) for the most ever in a Red Sox uniform.
Wakefield began this season in the bullpen doing mop-up duty, but a season-ending injury to Daisuke Matsuzaka brought him back to the starting rotation. He’s made the most of the opportunity, going 4-1 with a 3.60 ERA in six starts since joining the rotation full-time late last month. He limited Milwaukee to three runs and three hits in eight innings of Sunday’s 12-3 win.
Wakefield has faced the Pirates once at Fenway Park, throwing seven scoreless innings June 18, 2005, but not getting a decision as Boston lost 2-0.
The Pirates haven’t finished above .500 since Wakefield’s rookie season, but they may be making a serious bid to do it again. Pittsburgh (38-37) moved above the break-even mark with Friday night’s series-opening 3-1 victory, its third win in a row. This is the latest in a season the Pirates have owned a winning record since Aug. 15, 1999, when they were 59-58.
Lyle Overbay had two hits and an RBI on Friday, continuing his success against the Red Sox. Overbay has four multihit efforts in his last seven games versus Boston, increasing his career average against the Red Sox to .306 – 34 points higher than his overall mark.
“If you’re going to try to get a guy back in, maybe there’s some familiarity there,” manager Clint Hurdle told the Pirates’ official website of Overbay, who had sat out this week’s three-game series against Baltimore to work on his swing.
Jeff Karstens (4-4, 2.54) will oppose Wakefield for Pittsburgh. The right-hander has pitched splendidly recently, posting a 1.46 ERA over his last eight starts while never allowing more than two earned runs. However, he’s received two runs or fewer of support in all but one of those outings and has a 2-2 record to show for his efforts.
Karstens had a pair of poor starts against the Red Sox for the Yankees in 2007, going 0-1 while allowing seven runs and 11 hits in 4 1-3 innings. Kevin Youkilis is 3 for 3 with a double off him, while David Ortiz is 2 for 3 with a homer and a double.
Boston (44-31) still leads the AL East by one-half game over the Yankees, but has dropped three in a row to unlikely opponents San Diego and Pittsburgh after winning 14 of its previous 16.
Friday’s loss opened a nine-game interleague road trip, which presents a dilemma for Boston manager Terry Francona. The Red Sox must either leave David Ortiz on the bench, or start him at first and move Adrian Gonzalez to right field. Ortiz didn’t start Friday and likely won’t Saturday, either.
“I’m not happy about David sitting for nine straight games,” Francona told the team’s official website. “I’m also not happy about putting Gonzi in right field. Neither choice is appealing.
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