ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Red Sox announced their rotation for the first three games of the American League Division Series against the Oakland Athletics.
Certainly, it was no surprise that Pedro Martinez will open up Wednesday night at Oakland's Network Associates Coliseum. He'll oppose Tim Hudson.
But as had been rumored, Tim Wakefield and Derek Lowe, in that order, will follow Pedro in Games 2 and 3 respectively. Game 2 will be in Oakland on Thursday, with Game 3 slated for Saturday at Fenway Park.
Wakefield is more of a fly-ball pitcher, so the Coliseum, which is more spacious than Fenway Park, is a good venue for his knuckleball. He'll square off against Barry Zito.
Also figuring in the equation is that Lowe, who relies on his sinker, went 11-2 with a 3.21 earned-run average at Fenway this year. Overall Lowe went 17-7 with a 4.47 E.R.A. The Athletics will start Ted Lilly against Lowe.
Wakefield will pitch two or three innings today in the regular-season finale as a tuneup for his playoff start.
"There were a lot of different factors," said Little in explaining his rotation. "We did a lot of shuffling of the numbers."
If the series goes four games, and if Little decides not to bring back Martinez on three days' rest for that game, John Burkett would get the nod to start Game 4, the manager said.
Nomar's run overdue
The Sox are hoping that the 429-foot home-run rocket launched by Nomar Garciaparra in the third inning is a sign that he is rediscovering his touch at the plate.
To say that Garciaparra has been slumping uncharacteristically is an understatement. Garciaparra is batting a woeful .172 (16 for 93) this month, plunging his average from .323 to .301. He has been hitting an awful lot of popups, including two more last night.
"Sometimes when you're popping up the ball it means you're under it by only a fraction of an inch," said Garciaparra. "I've had some days when I've hit the ball hard at people. That happens. But I feel fine at the plate."
The homer, his 28th of the year, makes the most he has hit since 1998, when he clouted a career-high 35. It also was his 198th hit, the second-most in his career, trailing only the 209 he had in winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1997.
Garciaparra is not expected to play today.
It's a batting battle
The A.L. batting race will go down to the last day. Bill Mueller, the league leader, went 1 for 3 in five innings yesterday and now is hitting .327 (.32695). Manny Ramirez went 1 for 2 in three innings, lifting his average to .325 (.32513).
Ramirez will not start today. Manager Grady Little had said his regulars would play two of three games here to get a little rest before the playoffs. Mueller did not play in Friday night's game.
Of course it may not be just an intramural battle. The Yankees' Derek Jeter went 3 for 4 yesterday, hiking his average to .326 (.32567), placing him between Mueller and Ramirez.
Nixon seeing red
Trot Nixon is issuing a challenge to Red Sox fans for the playoffs.
"We think it would be awesome if they all wear something red for the games," said Nixon. "People talk about painting the town red. It would be great to see a sea of red in the stands."
Random online drawing
The Sox announced that 150 Green Monster tickets -- 60 seats and 90 standing-room spaces -- for each American League Division Series game will be made available via a random online drawing at www.redsox.com.
Registration for the drawing and opportunity to buy two tickets began yesterday and will continue until noon on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Winners will be notified online by noon Thursday, Oct. 2.
The Sox will host the Oakland Athletics in Game 3 on Saturday, Oct. 4. If a Game 4 is necessary, it will be played Sunday, Oct. 5, at Fenway Park.
Walker on career high
Todd Walker's homer was his 13th of the season, a career high. Walker had hit 12 for Minnesota in 1998 and he also hit 12 for Colorado in 2001 . . . Nixon missed another game last night because of his strained left calf muscle, but it's possible he could serve as the designated hitter today, Little said. Little also said he felt "good about Trot being ready to play by Wednesday (Game 1 of the playoffs)." . . . The home run for Doug Mirabelli was his sixth of the season. Of his 42 hits, 19 have been for extra bases -- 13 doubles and 6 homers. His last five hits have been for extra bases -- 4 doubles and 1 homer.
