Beckett Takes Hill
No matter whose uniform he’s wearing this season, Frank Thomas is feasting on Boston Red Sox pitching.
The veteran slugger looks to lead the Oakland Athletics to their second straight win over the Red Sox when the teams continue their three-game series Saturday night at McAfee Coliseum.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made Boston –132 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 8 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 86% of bets for this game have been placed on Boston -132 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Boston (31-20) took three of four games from Oakland (26-23) to open the season, but saw its momentum derailed with a three-game sweep at Toronto April 4-6. Thomas was a major reason why, going 4-for-12 with two homers, a double and eight RBIs for the Blue Jays in that series.
The designated hitter soon went into a slump, though, and got released by Toronto after bickering with the club in late April.
Thomas has fared better since joining the A’s, batting .305 in 25 games, and hit his first three homers for his new team against Tampa Bay earlier this week.
Then, in Friday’s series opener, he tormented the Red Sox again.
Thomas began his night with a two-run homer in the first inning, and finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored as Oakland coasted to an 8-3 victory – its second win in a row after three consecutive losses.
"One man doing well takes the pressure off others,” said Thomas, who also played for the A’s in 2006, when he hit 39 home runs. "That’s why Billy (Beane) brought me back. This is the time of year I start to feel it. … I work for it.”
Just as the Red Sox can’t seem to solve Thomas, they also can’t seem to figure out how to win on the road.
Boston entered this series fresh off a perfect seven-game homestand, but Friday’s loss was its fifth in a row away from home. The Red Sox are a major-league best 21-5 at home, but just 10-15 away from Fenway Park.
Possibly giving hope to Boston on Saturday, Thomas is just 3-for-19 (.158) lifetime with six strikeouts and no extra-base hits against Red Sox starter Josh Beckett (5-3, 4.67 ERA).
Beckett, though, is still struggling to recapture his form from 2007, when he won a career-high 20 games. The right-hander gave up a season-high six runs and six hits – including four homers – in seven innings Sunday, although the Red Sox gave him generous support en route to an 11-7 victory over Milwaukee.
"Guys swung the bats well today,” Beckett said. "I just try to focus on positive things.”
The right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.55 ERA in four career starts versus Oakland.
He will be opposed by Justin Duchscherer (3-3, 2.67). Although he has allowed three earned runs or fewer in all six of his starts in 2008, Duchscherer is looking to bounce back after losing his last two outings.
The right-hander yielded three runs and seven hits in five innings of Sunday’s 5-2 defeat at Atlanta. He has never started against the Red Sox, but has one win, one save, one hold and a 2.66 ERA in 13 career relief appearances versus Boston.
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