LOS ANGELES -- Interleague play continues to give the Red Sox trouble. Fortunately for them, there are only four games left, and after today, all three will be at home.
Boston's loss yesterday dropped them to 5-9, meaning they best they can hope for is a .500 record should they win the series finale against the Dodgers today, then sweep Atlanta at Fenway next weekend.
If the Sox drop one of the next four, however, they'll be assured of their fifth losing season in six years of interleague play. Last year was the Sox' lone winning season against N.L. teams, when they went 10-8.
"I can't explain it," shrugged yesterday's starter Derek Lowe,
when asked about the team's struggles against N.L. teams. "We don't know them, but they don't know us either."
It hasn't helped that the Sox have run up against some of the toughest closers in the game in their interleague contests. Arizona's Byung-Hyun Kim
saved all three Diamondback victories in their sweep at Fenway and John Smoltz
preserved the two Atlanta wins last weekend.
Trevor Hoffman
secured the only win the Padres got in San Diego earlier this week, while L.A.'s Eric Gagne,
who leads the majors in the saves with 27, has saved the first two games of this series.
In search of a lefty reliever
With the trading deadline just over a month away, the Red Sox are in pursuit of a lefty reliever for their bullpen.
According to a source, the Red Sox have had discussions with "three or four" clubs. One of their targets is known to be Alan Embree,
who was impressive against the Sox earlier this week.
Embree has pitched for Cleveland, Atlanta, Arizona, San Francisco, the Chicago White Sox and Padres. His velocity reached 96 mph in recent appearances, the hardest he's thrown in some time. His salary is modest ($500,000), though he does have a $250,000 relocation clause that the Sox would be responsible for should they obtain him.
The Sox also have scouts watching Detroit's Jeff Weaver
and Cleveland's Bartolo Colon,
the two best available starters on the market, but don't feel they have the package that would satisfy either team.
Stiff wrist sidelines Merloni
Infielder Lou Merloni,
who hurt his wrist attempting to make a diving catch in shallow center Friday night, was kept out of the lineup yesterday. Merloni's wrist bent under when he landed Friday and felt sore and stiff yesterday morning.
Carlos Baerga
took over for the day at second and made a nice diving stop of a grounder hit by Shawn Green
before throwing him out at first in the first inning.
Merloni could be back in the lineup today.
Garces looks good so far
Reliever Rich Garces,
who is on Florida on a rehab assignment for a strained hamstring, pitched two scoreless innings for the Sox' affililate in the Gulf Coast League yesterday, striking out three.
Little said "I guess it's possible," that Garces could rejoin the team when they return home Tuesday, but it's likely that Garces will make another appearance before being recalled.
Meanwhile, Dustin Hermanson
(groin strain) is slated to throw off the mound tomorrow, and could begin a rehab assignment later this week.
"I don't suspect he'll need [many] outings once he's able to throw with no pain," said Little. "He's able to run without any pain. We've got to get him to the point where it doesn't hurt coming off the rubber."
Around the bases
The American League has been in touch with Little for his recommendations for the A.L. pitching staff for the July 9 All-Star game. Lowe, Pedro Martinez
and Ugueth Urbina
are all near-certain picks, though Martinez is unsure whether he'll go or take the three days to rest his shoulder. . . . The Dodgers are 9-1 at home in one-run games this year. . . . Outfielder Shawn Green
has 19 homers in his last 29 games, dating back to May 21. Sammy Sosa,
who has 11 homers, is next closest in that time span. . . . Rickey Henderson
's homer leaves him seven shy of 300 for his career.
