BOSTON -- The Red Sox have a lot of respect for Los Angeles of Anaheim ace John Lackey (12-5, 3.75 ERA).

“He’s got great stuff,” Red Sox infielder Sean Casey said. “He’s got a great sinker and he throws all of his balls for strikes. He’s got good movement in the zone. It’s going to be a tough challenge but we feel like we match up well against those guys.”

“He’s a good pitcher,” Boston infielder Kevin Youkilis said of Lackey. “The biggest thing with him is that you just have to make him throw strikes and not try to chase the pitches outside the zone and just try to battle. He’s going to battle you and go at you. You basically just have to put together some good at-bats.”

Lackey is coming off his shortest of his 206 career big league starts. The Texas Rangers racked up 12 hits and 10 runs in just 2 2/3 innings against him last Friday. The Angeles have lost in four of his last five starts, with him going 1-3 in that span with one no decision.

Lackey has a career 2-2 postseason average with a 3.63 ERA. Lackey hasn’t had a lot of success against the Red Sox.In 13 career starts against the Red Sox, Lackey is only 3-6 with a 5.54 ERA.

“We’ve had a little success against him here at Fenway Park and I think our biggest thing is going out there and battling him because he’s one of those pitchers that can dominate a game if you let him do what he wants to do,” Youkilis said.