John Lackey

It’s back.

After dipping their collective toes in the interleague pool a month ago, the Red Sox will play their next 15 contests against National League foes, starting with Friday night’s game against the Brewers. Although nine of those 15 games will be played on the road in NL parks with senior circuit rules, this weekend’s series against Milwaukee – as well as the following three-game set against San Diego – will be played at the DH-friendly confines of Fenway Park. The Sox will send out John Lackey for the start Friday while the Brewers will counter with a man who is no stranger to the Boston ballpark, former Blue Jays hurler Shawn Marcum.

Lackey (4-5, 7.41 ERA) will take the hill for the third time since missing nearly a month while on the disabled list with a right elbow strain. Although his pitching was rather pedestrian (11 2/3 IP, 7 ER) in those two previous starts, he earned wins in both thanks to tons of run support from his offense (six runs on June 5, 16 last Saturday). One might think that Lackey would be one of the happiest people in Fenway on Friday, given that he won’t have to step into the box with a bat in his hands, but his stats at home this season may point the other way. The righty, who has earned decisions in each of nine starts this season, is 2-2 at Fenway in 2011 but owns an ERA of 8.27 and a .321 batting average-against in four starts there.

Perhaps a little change will do him some good in the form of the Brewers lineup. Only four Milwaukee hitters, including former Red Sox utilityman Mark Kotsay, have ever faced Lackey. That means the team’s heavy hitters Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks will rely more on what they see on the videotape than what they’ve seen in person when they face Lackey.

Friday will mark the first time Marcum (7-2, 2.68) has faced Boston while wearing a Brewers uniform. The 29-year-old has enjoyed a lot of success for Milwaukee, becoming the relative ace for a team that boasts a rotation with former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke as well as fireballer Yovani Gallardo. Marcum has pitched against the Red Sox 16 times since entering the majors in 2005, making them the team he’s faced the most in his career. Also with Friday marking his ninth appearance at Fenway (3-2, 3.52 ERA in eight previous starts), the stadium will become his most frequented baseball destination.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that every Red Sox position player has faced Marcum at least three times, although Adrian Gonzalez has only seen Marcum in interleague play when he was with the Padres. That being said, that breadth of experience hasn’t at all translated into production. The current Sox roster is hitting only .194 against Marcum with Dustin Pedroia (2-for-18) and Kevin Youkilis (4-for-22, nine strikeouts) being the chief strugglers. Even J.D. Drew, who has had some success with three home runs and two doubles off Marcum, owns just a .227 average against the right-hander to go with 10 strikeouts. Jason Varitek (4-for-10 with three walks) is the only batter with an average higher than .250 against Marcum but may not get the start as he has caught just one of Lackey’s nine starts thus far in 2011.

Brewers vs. John Lackey

Mark Kotsay (38 career plate appearances): .270 BA/.289 OBP/.351 SLG, 3 doubles, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts

Yuniesky Betancourt (33): .200/.226/.433, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts

Josh Wilson (6): .000/.167/.000, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Carlos Gomez (3): .667/.667/.667, 1 RBI

Ryan Braun, Craig Counsell, Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, George Kottaras, Jonathan Lucroy, Casey McGehee, Nyjer Morgan and Rickie Weeks have never faced the Boston starter.

Red Sox vs. Shawn Marcum

David Ortiz (34 career plate appearances): .222 BA/.382 OBP/.296 SLG, 1 triple, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts

J.D. Drew (26): .227/.346/.727, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2 doubles, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts

Kevin Youkilis (23): .182/.217/.409, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 doubles, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts

Dustin Pedroia (20): .111/.150/.278, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 strikeouts

Carl Crawford (18): .176/.222/.176, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

Marco Scutaro (14): .143/.143/.143, 1 RBI

Jacoby Ellsbury (13): .167/.154/.250, 2 RBI, 1 double, 1 strikeout

Jason Varitek (13): .400/.538/.400, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts

Jed Lowrie (10): .250/.400/.250, 2 walks

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (6): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Mike Cameron (3): .333/.333/.1.333, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Adrian Gonzalez (3): .333/.333/1.333, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Darnell McDonald (3): .000/.000/.000