VENUE: Fenway Park
The Boston Red Sox are finally getting healthy and looking forward to a strong stretch run. Facing the injury-plagued Detroit Tigers could help them continue their playoff push.
Boston tries to win its fourth straight Friday night when it opens a seven-game homestand against a Tigers club approaching its longest road losing streak in 108 years.
After dropping four of seven to begin their West Coast swing, the Red Sox (58-44) capped a 6-4 trip with a 7-3 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Boston begins this three-game series in third place in the AL East and 5 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for the wild card.
"The way we ended the road trip, we can take that back with us and get to where we're comfortable," right-hander Josh Beckett said Wednesday after earning his first victory since April 10. "We've still got more guys to get healthy, but a lot of us are coming back now."
Beckett (lower back strain) and Clay Buchholz (strained left hamstring) are back in the rotation and catcher Victor Martinez (fractured left thumb) also returned this week after a stint on the disabled list. The Red Sox are hoping Mike Lowell (right hip strain), Dustin Pedroia (broken left foot) and Jacoby Ellsbury (fractured ribs) will follow suit soon.
Lowell could be available this weekend, while it's uncertain when Pedroia and Ellsbury will be back.
The Tigers (51-50) may not have their lineup intact for a while, as Carlos Guillen (strained right calf), Magglio Ordonez (broken right ankle) and Brandon Inge (broken finger) went on the disabled list last week.
Since holding a half-game lead in the AL Central on July 10, Detroit has lost 13 of 16 to fall into third place.
"We're in emergency mode, really," manager Jim Leyland told the Tigers' official website prior to a 4-2 loss to the Rays on Thursday. "... When I say that, I'm saying we just have to fight our tails off every day, try to win as many games as we can until we get some pieces straightened out a little bit."
The Tigers, who have lost 22 of their last 30 at Fenway Park, have dropped 10 straight on the road - three shy of the franchise record set in 1902. They'll face left-hander Jon Lester (11-5, 2.92 ERA) on Friday.
The All-Star struck out a career-high 13 and was perfect through 5 1-3 innings in his last outing Saturday, but ended up allowing five runs over 7 2-3 innings of a 5-1 loss to Seattle.
"That's as good as stuff as we've seen all year," manager Terry Francona told the Red Sox's official website. "The outcome is a shame."
Lester, who will try to avoid losing three consecutive starts for the first time, struck out 10 and allowed four runs in seven innings of a 7-6, 12-inning loss at Detroit on May 15. He is 0-1 with a 5.84 ERA in two career starts versus the Tigers.
Detroit counters with Armando Galarraga (3-3, 4.43), who will make his first career start at Fenway Park. In his first appearance this season, the right-hander struck out five and gave up one run in a 5-1 victory over the Red Sox on May 16.
Third baseman Jhonny Peralta is expected to make his Tigers debut after being acquired from Cleveland on Wednesday. He is 2 for 15 with five strikeouts versus Lester.
Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who hit .412 on the final eight games of the trip, is 4 for 8 with two home runs against Galarraga.
