Boston @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2010 ) Boston 4, Chi. White Sox 5
After a valiant season-long struggle, the Boston Red Sox were officially eliminated from the playoffs on Tuesday in Chicago.
They’ll play their first meaningless game in more than two seasons Wednesday when they continue their four-game series with the White Sox. The two clubs have split the first two games of the series.
Boston will miss the playoffs for the first time in a couple of seasons. It won a pair of World Series titles this decade and seemed poised to make another run this year before being besieged by an inordinate amount of injuries. Boston has used 53 different players this season and 44 different outfield combinations.
Josh Beckett (6-5) starts for the Red Sox. Beckett is 4-1 lifetime against the White Sox. He limited them to one earned run in 6 1/3 innings earlier in the month but did not get a decision. Beckett struck out a season-high nine in a 7-5 win by the White Sox.
Beckett has an ERA of 5.77 on the season – nearly two runs higher than his career ERA of 3.95.
David Ortiz belted his 32nd homer in Tuesday’s game and Adrian Beltre continued his hot hitting with his 53rd multi-hit game of the season. He is third in the American League in that category.
Freddy Garcia starts for the White Sox. Garcia is 7-2 in his career against the Red Sox but has not faced them in over a year.
It should be the last outing of the year for both starters.
White Sox outfielder Alex Rios missed Tuesday’s game after fouling a ball off his leg in the series opener and is not expected to play today.
Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen ended speculation that he would be leaving the club after the season, saying he would return Tuesday.
Guillen, who has had some volatile confrontations with general manager Ken Williams, is under contract with the team for next season but rumors had circulated that he would resign after the season.
The White Sox have a club option on Guillen’s contract for 2012. There will be several managerial openings in the offseason but Guillen said he is happy in Chicago and added the club could fire him next season if it saw fit.
The White Sox posted a 5-4 walk-off win Tuesday when rookie Dayan Viciedo’s line drive eluded the diving attempt of Boston left fielder Daniel Nava. Carlos Quentin belted a two-run homer in the game.
Second baseman Felipe Lopez made his Red Sox debut and went 0-for-4 Tuesday. He is expected to be released at the end of the season so the team can receive a draft pick. Boston picked Lopez off waivers from St. Louis.