Game Preview: Stanks @ Sox GM 3

Pettitte (3-4, 2.37) vs. Beckett (8-0, 2.66)
Fenway Park 8P ESPN HD

After two wild, wacky, WTF-type games, the only question left is, 'what will they come up with next'?

The first two games of this series produced 31 runs, 50 hits, and one skull-crushing cervical sprain, and as luck would have it the Sox and Stanks take center stage tonight as the ESPN Sunday Night game of the week.

New York is in exactly in the same position they started the series, 13 1/2 games behind the Sox in the AL East, after splitting the first two games, but at least they have their top ERA man and notorious Red Sox killer Andy Pettitte on the mound.

In his career Pettitte owns a 14-6 mark against Boston with a 3.10 ERA in 24 starts, and the last time he faced Josh Beckett was the infamous Game 6 of the 2003 World Series, when Beckett & the Marlins defeated Pettitte and the Stanks, 2-o to win the championship.

This time the stakes won't be quite as high, but there is plenty on the table in the rubber game of this series. Each team won a high-scoring, crazy contest the past two nights, and with multiple players getting hurt, hit, and playing the parts of hero & goat, this game means a lot to both sides despite the huge discrepancy in the standings.

Beckett will be making his second start since coming off the DL last week, trying to better his 8-0 mark to open the season, the best record by a Sox starter since someone named Clemens started 14-0 over a decade ago. he will have to defeat Pettitte and New York once again to get where he wants to be.

And who knows which Stankee will have to be taken down to get there.

Go Sox!