Game Preview: Mariners @ Sox

Ramirez (2-1, 4.41) vs. Matsuzaka (3-2, 4.36)

Tonight's game is a makeup game from the rainout back on April 12th, the game after King Felix Hernandez nearly no-hit the Sox.

Since then the Sox have been on a 13-5 tear to take first place in the East, while Seattle lost the services of their young phenom to arm troubles and has gone 9-8 with a 6-game losing streak in that time.

Dice-K will take the mound again versus the Mariners (12-10), and I'm sure he's glad that he will not be facing Hernandez again. Matsuzaka was the unfortunate pitcher to be on the opposite site of the 3-0 Seattle win, and although he didn't pitch poorly, he has been less than spectacular in his first five MLB starts.

This is the second of three teams Boston will face in three days, a scheduling oddity that hopefully will not be duplicated any time soon. It's going to be tough to gear up for this 1-gamer following the emotional Oakland series and prior to boarding a plane to Minny to take on the Twins, but if anyone should be motivated to get back at the team from the Pacific Northwest, it's Dice-K and the Sox hitters after that embarrassing April outing.

Go Sox!