Manny Ramirez returns to Fenway Park

Manny Ramirez makes his first appearance in Boston since leaving town on bad terms two years ago when his Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Fenway Park for a three-game weekend series against the Red Sox.

When Ramirez was sent to the Dodgers in the deal that brought Jason Bay to Boston from Pittsburgh, he bad-mouthed the Sox on the way out the door. Ramirez hit .312 with 274 home runs and 868 RBIs in eight seasons in Boston.

Ramirez hasn't talked to the media all season. His power numbers are down since he served a 50-game suspension last spring for testing positive for a banned substance, a female fertility drug.

This year, Ramirez is hitting .296 with 33 RBIs in 47 games but has just seven home runs. Since returning from a stint on the disabled list with a right calf strain May 8, he has hit .250.

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However, his teamates are doing just fine entering Friday's first game of the series. The Dodgers are 38-27 and tied with San San Diego for first place in the NL West.

Getting off to a fast start and then holding on has been a successful formula for Joe Torre's troops this season. The Dodgers are 23-6 (.795) when scoring first, which is the fifth best mark in the Majors. They are also a sparkling 32-1 when leading after the eighth inning.

Carlos Monasterios (3-1, 2.98) will make his fifth start of the year for the Dodgers after coming out of bullpen for four straight games. The 24-year-old right-hander was shelled by the Angels on Sunday in his last start.

Monasterios allowed four runs on seven hits (one homer) in just 2 2/3 innings spanning 69 pitches. He fanned a pair and walked three as the Dodgers suffered a 6-5 loss as small home underdogs. However, the Dodgers are still a fine 4-1 when Monasterios gets the starting nod.

The Dodgers, 15-15 on the road, are 8-9 versus left-handed starting pitchers and a Major League-best 15-7 in one-run games.

Boston manager Terry Francona must have noticed the Dodgers lack of success against southpaws, because he is sending lefty Felix Doubront to the hill Friday for his Major League debut.

The 23-year-old was 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA (14 ER, 59 2/3 IP) in 12 combined starts for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket.

Boston's starters have gone six innings or more in 10 of their last 13 attempts with a 3.13 ERA during that stretch.

The Red Sox own baseball's fourth best interleague record at 133-104. They are 7-2 this year after Thursday's 8-5 victory against Arizona.

Boston is 26-19 against right-handed starters, 11-11 in one-run games and has a plus-58 run differential this season after outscoring the opposition 373-315.

The ‘under' is 8-4 in Boston's last 12 interleague games and 9-3 in the Dodgers' last 12 road outings. However, the Dodgers have seen the ‘over' go 8-3 in their last 11 overall outings.
 
Dodgers starting shortstop Rafael Furcal was placed on the bereavement list Thursday because of an ailing family member. Furcal is hitting .305 with 23 RBI and nine stolen bases

The Dodgers will conclude this nine-game road trip next week by flying back to Anaheim for a three-game set against the Angels. Boston also hits the road next week with three games at Colorado and three in San Francisco.