Here's the matchup:
Red Sox: Wakefield suffered through his shortest outing since May 23 on Sunday, surrendering six runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings
against the Yankees. That May 23 game was against Oakland, which will be Wakefield's next challenge when he takes the mound on Friday. Wakefield allowed
eight runs and eight hits in five innings during that outing against the A's, and he'll look to rebound from both that start in Oakland as well as his
last outing against New York. Prior to the Yankees game, Wakefield had a 2.96 ERA in four July starts.
A's: Duchscherer endured his worst performance of the season in his last start against Texas, giving up a career-high eight runs on nine hits while pitching into the seventh inning after entering the game not having allowed more than three earned runs all season. He said he felt fine and explained that the powerful Rangers lineup "flat out beat me." Duchscherer will look to get back on track against a team against which he earned a win earlier in the season. He didn't allow a run and scattered just one hit through eight innings in that start versus Boston.
