Red Sox-Astros series thumbnails
at Minute Maid Park, Houston
Tonight (8:05, NESN, WRKO 680): RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (8-1, 3.46 ERA) vs. RHP Runelvys Hernandez (0-0, 0.00).
Tomorrow (7:05 p.m., NESN, WRKO): LHP Jon Lester (6-3, 3.13) vs. RHP Brandon Backe (5-8, 4.82).
Sunday (2:05 p.m., NESN, WRKO): RHP Josh Beckett (7-5, 3.73) vs. RHP Brian Moehler (4-3, 4.03).
Head to head: This is the first meeting since the Red Sox swept a three-game series in 2003 at Fenway Park.
Miscellany: Houston leads the National League with 78 stolen bases, 13 more than its total in 2007 . . . Hernandez will be making his season debut. He was 6-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 84 2/3 innings for Triple A Round Rock (Texas) . . . The Astros, at 7-15, are having their worst month since June 1975, when they went 8-21 for a .276 winning percentage. 