May 18, 2007
...
After treatment at Fenway Park and at home, J.D. Drew was penciled
into tonight's Red Sox lineup against the Braves, before the rainout
postponed his return until the first game of tomorrow's doubleheader.
Drew said he did not believe the injury would linger. Rather he
thought that with treatment (including some sauna work at home
yesterday), he would try to loosen up the back. Tightness developed
as Tuesday night's game against the Tigers wore on after he banged
into the wall attempting to catch a Brandon Inge home run in the
third inning. He was lifted after the seventh. Manager Terry Francona
said he expected Drew to play in two of the three games against the
Braves this weekend.
Tonight's game will be made up as the second game of the day-night doubleheader
today. Manny Ramirez was not in the lineup tonight. Francona said that was
simply because Ramirez played 18 innings (though nine were as the designated
hitter) in Thursday's doubleheader.
Josh Beckett (finger avulsion) threw in the cage today, having been unable
to throw outside because of the weather.
After starting the season slowly at Fenway, the Red Sox have won seven of their
last nine, improving their home record to 14-6. The Red Sox are the seventh team
in major league history to lead their division by at least 9 1/2 games after 40
games or fewer. Most recently, Seattle led the AL West by 10 after 35 games in
2001. Boston went 16-2 in interleague play last season and is 93-82 against NL
teams. The Sox went 9-0 in Boston against the NL in 2006.
