Sat May 17 11:00:57 2008

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Red Sox, Brewers set to play two at Fenway Park

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(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox hope Daisuke Matsuzaka can put the brakes on their four-game losing streak this afternoon in the first game of their doubleheader, as they welcome the Milwaukee Brewers back to Fenway Park for the first time in nearly 11 years.

This three-game series was supposed to get underway on Friday, but rain caused a postponement, making today's double-dip necessary.

Boston, which hasn't played the Brewers since taking two of three from them back in 2003, will be hosting Milwaukee for the first time since taking two of three from it on September 5-7, 1997, the Brewers' last season in the AL.

The Red Sox, though, come into this interleague set following a 4-6 road trip, which included a 6-3 setback to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday at Camden Yards. Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell homered while Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and scored a run for Boston, which failed to protect a three-run lead for the second consecutive game.

Sox reliever Craig Hansen (0-2) took the loss, charged with two runs while not recording an out. Starter Jon Lester was solid, giving up five hits and two runs over six frames.

Boston is also expected to have manager Terry Francona back in the dugout today. Francona missed the Orioles series to attend the funeral of his mother- in-law.

Matsuzaka, meanwhile, has been brilliant for the BoSox this season, going 6-0 with a splendid 2.45 earned run average. He won his second game in as many starts on Saturday against Minnesota, as he held the Twins to two runs and six hits in seven innings.

If there has been one knock on Matsuzaka this season it is his walks allowed. He has issued 30 free passes this season, the second highest amount in the league behind Cleveland righty Fausto Carmona's 35.

In the nightcap Boston will send knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the hill. Wakefield is coming off his worst outing of the season on Sunday against Minnesota, as the Twins battered him for seven runs (six earned) and seven hits in just 2 2/3 frames, dropping the veteran righty to 3-2 on the season, while raising his ERA to 4.25.

Wakefield is 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA in 10 career starts versus the Brewers, but has not faced since 2003.

Milwaukee will counter Matsuzaka with veteran Jeff Suppan, who is 2-2 with a 4.63 ERA. Suppan picked up the win on Sunday against St. Louis, as he allowed a run and six hits in seven innings.

Suppan is 3-3 lifetime versus the Sox with a 4.78 ERA in eight starts.

Milwaukee will pin its hopes in the second game on righty Dave Bush, who is winless in four starts against the Red Sox in his career, going 0-3 against them with a 9.00 ERA.

Bush, though, picked up his first win of the season on Monday against St. Louis, giving up a run and four hits in six innings to improve to 1-4 to go along with a 6.06 ERA.

The Brewers enter this series after dropping the final two games of their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a 7-2 setback in Thursday's finale at Miller Park.

On the day he signed an eight-year, $45 million contract, Ryan Braun homered for the Brewers, whose slide comes after a three-game win streak.

Ben Sheets (4-1) threw six shutout innings before imploding in the seventh and was charged with six runs on nine hits over 6 1/3 frames.

Boston was 12-6 last season in interleague play, while the Brewers went 8-7 versus the Junior Circuit. The Red Sox are also 16-3 in their last 19 interleague games at Fenway Park.