Game Preview: D-Backs @ Sox GM2

Davis (2-3, 3.65) vs. Masterson (4-1, 3.00)
Game 2 of 3 7:05 @ Fenway Park

Boston will look to get back on the winning track at Fenway Park when rookie Justin Masterson puts his undefeated home record on the line against inspirational Arizona lefty Doug Davis.

Like Sox starter Jon Lester, Davis has come back from battling cancer to continue his career in the major leagues. Diagnosed with a thyroid condition earlier this year, the 32-year-old veteran spent six weeks on the DL receiving treatments before returning to action in late May.

In his first four starts since his return he was up and down, allowing one and three earned runs in a couple of starts and then five and six earned in the other two.

Since then he has been lights out in his last two starts, allowing just 9 hits and 1 run with 15 strikeouts in 13 innings of work, yet he doesn't have a win to show for it.

But the fact that he has come back from the Big C and continued to be a productive member of a pennant contending team is a big enough win in itself.

Masterson, meanwhile, will try to continue to prove that he belongs on the big club for the foreseeable future when he makes his seventh start of the season tonight.

After dropping his first decision in Cincinnati a week and a half ago the 23-year-old bounced back with a solid showing in Philadelphia last Wednesday to earn the first road victory of his career.

In four starts at Fenway Masterson in 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA and a .169 BAA, and the kid has yet to allow more than four earned runs in any start this season.

Just the fact that he's made everyone forget about Clay Buchholz, who only threw a no hitter last September, is an accomplishment worth noting.

If the Sox are to break this mini-schneid at home, losing 3 of the last 4 games, it will need to get its offense going. In the four games since returning home the Sox have scored just 13 runs, and only a walk-off homer by Kevin Youkilis separates them from sitting at 0-4 on this home stand.

Speaking of Youk, according to the Globe he is scratched tonight following his run in with an errant Mike Lowell toss during between inning warmups last night that resulted in a nasty shiner below his right eye. He will visit a specialist and then it will be decided when he will return to action.

With or without Youk's hot bat, Boston needs to score some runs off Davis and get this game in the win column. The Diamondbacks had been in a horrible slump, are terrible on the road, having just been swept in Minnesota, and have fewer impact players than the no-name Cardinals.

No excuses, boys. Bring this one home tonight.