Game Preview: Angels @ Sox GM4

Saunders (6-1, 3.50) vs. Tavarez (6-8, 5.12)
Fenway 205

Well it was fun while it lasted.

A shellacking of Lackey, a late-inning comeback (followed by a closer-imposed meltdown), and a grand slamming of Jered Weaver all made for some thrilling highs and one seriously depressing low against the Angles this weekend.

But it could all end with a thud today.

Boston is forced to tap Julian 4 innings, no mas Tavarez to start the finale of the four game set in order to let Tim Wakefield start tomorrow down here at the Trop, aka his personal highlight house, and also to give the other starters an extra day of rest after an especially taxing week.

The end result means that the Boston offense will need to produce a lot of runs to offset Julie's predictable wildness if they plan on winning this series, especially considering Jonathan Papelbon probably won't be available today, and according to Tito in the Globe today, that could mean...

...can't go there, almost gagned up my coffee.

The task of defeating the resilient Halos will be even harder considering L.A. will have the advantage of throwing impressive young lefthander Joe Saunders vs. the Sox.

Saunders, who lost his last start in Toronto following six straight wins, recorded one of those victories against Boston a two weeks ago, when he allowed four runs and 8 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work of a 10-4 Angels win

Lefties are hitting a paltry .200 off the 26-year-old southpaw, and he's keeping batters to a .233 batting average away from the Mouse House, two stats that don't bode well for the BoSox.

One lefty who will not start for Boston today is J.D. Drew. Instead, again from the always-reliable Globe, recent acquisition Bobby Kielty will make his Boston debut.

Kielty was released by the A's a few weeks back and signed to a minor league deal by Boston, all with the intent of bringing him up as soon as they dumped Whiffy Mo.

Now that Pena is adding to his legacy of potential in D.C., the Sox brought up the 6-year-vet to fill the role of reserve outfielder on the bench. Although he's batting just over the Mendoza line, his experience and maturity in dealing with his role should prove valuable coming down the stretch.

To make room for Kielty the Sox sent Jacoby Ellsbury back to Pawtucket (man that Pawsox shuttle is getting a workout this weekend!)

Another new face in the lineup will be catcher Kevin Cash. He was brought up on Friday after Doug Mirabelli injured a calf muscle in Game 1 of the doubleheader, and the vet will give Tek a much-needed couple of days off after he caught 26 innings in the last two days.

They say Cash has experience catching a knucleball, and we'll find that out as he will also get the start tomorrow at the Trop.

But for today the Sox better have some gas left in the tank to defeat the hungry Halos, because two things you can count on happening today: Tavarez will be gone by the sixth, and Tito won't hesitate to use you-know-who again in the lattter innings.

Here comes the coffee!