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(Sports Network) - Roy Halladay has the unenviable task of slowing down a red- hot Boston lineup this evening, when the Toronto Blue Jays open a rain- shortened two-game series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

This series was supposed to get underway on Friday, but rain in the Boston area caused a postponement. That contest will be made up as part of a day- night doubleheader on Saturday, September 13.

Halladay enters tonight's tilt with the third-best earned run average in the American League at 2.72, but will have his hands full with a Red Sox offense which has come alive of late.

Boston outscored the Texas Rangers by a 37-21 margin in sweeping a three-game set earlier this week, culminating with a 10-0 drubbing in Thursday's finale. David Ortiz belted a three-run homer as part of a nine-run second inning, while Dustin Pedroia finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run batted in. Jed Lowrie ended with three hits and an RBI to help the Red Sox to their fourth straight win.

Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka (14-2) had more than enough support, as he surrendered six hits with five walks over seven scoreless innings to win his third consecutive outing.

Since Manny Ramirez was shipped to Los Angeles, Boston's lineup has managed a league-best 7.23 runs per game, compared to the 4.94 runs per contest it had managed with the enigmatic outfielder. Boston is also 10-3 since the trade.

Tonight the Red Sox unveil their newest acquisition, as veteran right-hander Paul Byrd makes his Boston debut. Byrd, who was acquired from Cleveland for a player to be named later or cash considerations on Tuesday, takes the spot left vacated by the injured Tim Wakefield.

Byrd struggled for the Indians for much of this season and is 7-10 with a 4.53 ERA for the year. However, he won his final four starts with the Tribe, including a victory over Halladay and the Jays the last time he toed the rubber on August 9.

Halladay, meanwhile, will be pitching on some extra rest after tossing a career-high 130 pitches in losing that game to Cleveland. The former Cy Young Award winner lost for the second time in three starts after he gave up four runs (1 earned) and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings of that one, which dropped him to 13-9 on the season.

The 31-year-old righty has had his share of problems with the Red Sox over the course of his career, posting a 10-11 mark with a 4.66 ERA in 34 games, 31 of which have been starts, against Boston. He was a hard-luck loser the last time he faced the Red Sox, as he surrendered just a run and five hits in 8 2/3 innings of a 1-0 loss on April 29.

Toronto comes into this series on a sour note after the club was denied a sweep of its four-game series with the Detroit Tigers. The Jays dropped a 5-1 decision in Thursday's finale at Comerica Park.

Lyle Overbay provided the offense for the Blue Jays, who lost for only the fourth time in their last 11 tries. Reliever Jason Frasor (1-2) was charged with the loss after he was responsible for all five Detroit runs while recording just one out in the eighth inning.

Toronto has won four of its six matchups with the Red Sox this season and eight of the last 10 encounters between the teams dating back to last year.