Beckett goes on DL; Hansack gets the call

Pitcher Josh Beckett will be placed on the disabled list today because of the torn skin on his middle finger but will miss just two starts, Red Sox manager Terry Francona announced after last night's game.

The procedural move, which will have the unbeaten Beckett on target to return May 29 against the Indians here and then on track to face the Yankees June 3, also in Fenway Park, will allow the Sox to recall righthander Devern Hansack from Pawtucket.

Hansack, who was optioned to Pawtucket May 11 and could not be summoned back this quickly unless a disablement was involved, was scratched from his scheduled start last night for the PawSox. Knuckleballer Charlie Zink took his place and allowed nine runs in three innings of Pawtucket's 11-3 loss to Durham.

Francona said the Sox will need another starter Sunday. The most likely candidate is lefthander Kason Gabbard. He last started for Pawtucket Monday and was held to five innings and 65 pitches. He'd have an extra day of rest if he goes Sunday.

Tim Wakefield, whose regular day to throw would be Sunday, is being pushed back until Monday, allowing him to start against the Yankees in New York, rather than have one of the minor leaguers thrust into that role.

Tonight's forecast is for rain, which could mean the services of only one of the Pawtucket recruits will be required.

This is the 10th time in Beckett's big league career he has been placed on the DL, the seventh for issues related to the middle finger of his throwing hand, be it blisters, skin tears, or avulsions, as they like to say around Yawkey Way. Beckett also has been on the DL for a mild sprain of his elbow, strained back, and a strained oblique muscle.

"We talked to him for a long time about it," Francona said, "because we wanted to do the right thing."

With the arrival of the Braves, their "natural" rivals in the National League, the Sox enter their 11th year of interleague play, none better than 2006, when they laid waste to their NL brethren by a 16-2 margin. The Sox share the record with Oakland (2002) and Minnesota (2006) for most interleague wins; only the Cardinals (11-1 in '04) had a better single-season winning percentage (.917). The Sox were 9-0 last season against NL foes at Fenway Park, sweeping three-game sets with the Nationals, Phillies, and Mets. The Sox have won their last 11 series at home against NL teams. They tanked against the NL in 2002, going 5-13, but have gone 48-24 in the four seasons since -- 11-7 in '03, 9-9 in '04, and 12-6 in '05.

That figures to be a reason why Chipper Jones, for one, isn't eager to have a home-and-home set with the Red Sox. Boston swept the Braves in three games in Atlanta last season, but overall, the Sons of Bobby Cox are 23-16 vs. the Sox.

"I don't think there's any question it's not fair, but I don't think Major League Baseball is concerned with fair," Jones told reporters earlier this week. "If you play the top teams in the American League and everybody else doesn't, it's pretty unfair."

The Braves also have three-game sets against the Tigers and Indians. Contrast the Braves' schedule with that of fellow NL East competitor Florida: The Marlins play "rival" Tampa Bay six times and also have a three-game set against Kansas City, the worst team in baseball. The Sox this season drew the NL West in the division rotation; they play at Arizona and San Diego, and are home against Colorado and San Francisco.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona is no fan of interleague play, either, but said, "I'd rather have someone else complain about us."

Love to sit on the Monster, but figure you'll never win the lottery? Well, the Red Sox Foundation is holding an auction of Monster seats for the game against the Giants June 16.

In case you're not paying attention, the left fielder for San Francisco is one Barry Bonds, so sitting in the Monster seats would give you a rare opportunity to express your love and respect for the man bidding to become the game's home run king (unless, of course, Bruce Bochy decides to use him as the designated hitter). A total of 87 Green Monster packages will be auctioned in three- or six-ticket packs, with a bunch of other goodies (food, photos, autographs) thrown in. Interested? Go to redsox.com and click the Foundation Ticket Auction link on the home page. Online is the only way to gain access.

The Sox have played 43 day-night doubleheaders since 1970. Going into yesterday, they had recorded 14 sweeps and been swept eight times. In an oddity, the Sox' record in day games (24-18) was the same as night games . . . The man in the oversized yellow work gloves scooping up trash in the stands between games? That was Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, who also enlisted executive vice president-public affairs Charles Steinberg to help the work crew . . . J.D. Drew hit before the second game, but was held out with continuing soreness in his back . . . David Ortiz, who has been battling a cold, was given the second game off . . . Manny Ramírez took a called third strike once in the first game, and twice in the second. He's been called out on strikes 18 times out of 29 whiffs this season, according to STATS, Inc. Last season, he was called out on strikes 23 times . . . Roger Clemens's next start appears set for Wednesday for Double A Trenton against the visiting Portland Sea Dogs.