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Will another pitcher look like Sandy Koufax against the Red Sox?

Boston returns to Fenway Park tonight after losing 5 straight on the road. The opponent is Baltimore. That sounds like good news, but the pitcher is right-hander Brad Bergeson. He has allowed more than 3 runs only once in his last 10 starts (he gave up 1 run in his last start vs. the Red Sox).

Will Bergeson dominate or will Boston's so-called relentless lineup re-surface?

With Bergeson starting, does Mike Lowell sit, and newly-aquired Adam LaRoche get the nod at first?

In Triple-A, catcher Mark Wagner has struggled since his call-up (.186) but was 2-for-6 Thursday.

New Indianapolis shortstop Argenis Diaz went 0-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt. He handled his six chances in the field cleanly.

Junichi Tazawa pitched six scoreless innings (3 H, 1 BB, 5 K) to lower his ERA to 2.57.

Three pitchers looked fine for Salem. Stephen Fife, making his second start since a promotion, allowed 1 earned run in 5 2/3 innigs (6 H, 0 BB, 7 K).

Robert Coello (2 1/3, 5 K) and Derrick Loop (1 IP, 1 H, 1 K) finished it off. Coello, 24, and Loop, 25, have ERA's of 1.83 and 1.84, respectively. Both were signed out of the independent leagues and both should be at Hadlock fairly soon.

In Lowell, Ryan Westmoreland continues to DH (while his surghically-repaired shoulder recovers). He went 2-for-5 with his fifth home run. He's batting .286 ... Richi Lentz made another rehab appearance (2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K).

 

Kevin covers baseball for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. He first reported on spring training games for the St. Petersburg Times in 1978. He wisely moved to Maine in 1994 and now writes about the Portland Sea Dogs and Boston Red Sox — when he's not coaching Little League baseball.

He is married to Nancy, and the couple recently completed their lineup card with the birth of their ninth child.

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