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Boston begins life after Ramirez versus A's

Fri 1st, August 2008

(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox begin life without Manny Ramirez this evening, when they play the first of three games against the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park.

Ramirez, who had been on a verbal tirade against Red Sox brass in recent weeks, was shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday as part of a three- team deal that also included Pittsburgh, which sent Jason Bay to Beantown.

Boston also dealt outfielder Brandon Moss and reliever Craig Hansen to Pittsburgh as part of the deal, as well as paying the remainder of Ramirez's contract for the Dodgers.

Bay, who should be in the lineup this evening, had similar numbers to Ramirez, hitting .282 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI for the Pirates. Ramirez had led the Red Sox with 20 home runs and 68 RBI.

The Red Sox could use a lift, as they enter this series on the heels of getting swept by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, culminating with a 9-2 loss on Wednesday. Coco Crisp clubbed a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who have dropped five of their last six contests to fall three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East.

Josh Beckett (9-8) went just 5 1/3 innings and was victimized for eight runs -- seven earned -- on 11 hits en route to his third straight setback.

Tim Wakefield will try to reverse the Red Sox fortunes tonight, as he tries to snap a two-start losing streak. Wakefield was charged with the loss on Saturday against the New York Yankees, who managed six runs and eight hits off of him in 5 1/3 innings, dropping the knuckleballer to 6-8 on the year, while raising his ERA to 3.94.

Wakefield lost to the A's back on May 23 and is 9-6 in his career against them with a 4.32 ERA in 36 games, 25 of which have been starts.

Oakland will counter with righty Justin Duchscherer, who is 10-7 with a 2.37 ERA. Duchscherer was pounded by Texas in losing his second straight start on Saturday, as he allowed eight runs and nine hits over six innings.

Duchscherer tossed eight scoreless innings to defeat the Red Sox in his only start against them back on May 24 and is 2-0 lifetime against them with a 1.91 ERA in 14 games.

The A's have struggled mightily of late, dropping 10 of their 12 games since the All-Star break and 12 of 14 overall. Thanks to its struggles, Oakland has fallen 14 1/2 games off the pace in the AL West.

Oakland's offense, though, could get a boost tonight with the return of Frank Thomas, who is expected to be activated from the disabled list. Thomas, who has been sidelined since late May with a quadriceps injury, is hitting .319 with four homers and 16 RBI in 28 games for the A's.

Oakland has won four of its seven matchups this season with the Red Sox.

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