Josh Beckett

The Red Sox continue their 10-game homestand with the second game of a three-game set against Detroit on Tuesday. Josh Beckett is scheduled to take the mound for the Red Sox.

Beckett has had an interesting year both on and off the mound. He’s 5-9 with a 4.57 ERA, and he has been atrocious this month, with a 1-2 record and a 6.38 ERA. That’s coming off a 3.43 ERA over three starts last month. Beckett has been able to give the Sox innings, however, with nine of his 17 starts going seven or more.

In his last outing, the righty went seven innings and allowed four runs over nine hits in a 5-3 loss to Texas on July 25. He threw 114 pitches, his second-highest pitch count of the season.

Over his career the 32-year-old is 3-4 with a 3.86 ERA in eight starts against Detroit, including an 0-2 mark and a 8.49 ERA in two starts this season. Eight Tigers have faced Beckett at least nine times. Prince Fielder has the most success vs. Beckett out of that group, going 4-for-8.

If Beckett wants to get his sixth win of the year, he’ll have to outduel last year’s Cy Young and MVP winner, Justin Verlander.

While Verlander hasn’t exactly been Cy Young-caliber this season, he still has been dominant. He’s 11-6 with a 2.6o ERA, which is good enough for third in the AL for starter ERA. Four of his starts have been complete games, and he had a shutout vs. the Pirates on May 18. Sixteen of his 21 starts have been of the quality start variety. He has yet to throw less than 100 pitches in any of his outings.

The righty went seven innings in his last start against the Indians on July 26 but allowed five runs on two home runs and nine hits. The Tigers lost 5-3. It was his first loss of July.

Verlander, 29, is 3-3 with a 3.22 ERA in nine starts vs. the Sox and has been mediocre in Fenway with a 2-2 record and a 3.80 ERA in six starts there. This season he’s 0-1 and has a 3.21 ERA over two starts vs. Boston. The Red Sox know Verlander well, with nine batters having more than 10 at-bats against him. Carl Crawford has good career numbers vs. Verlander, going 9-for-29.

Tigers vs. Beckett (RHP)

Jhonny Peralta (23 plate appearances): .200 BA/.304 OBP/.250 SLG, 1 doubles, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts

Delmon Young (21): .350/.381/.500, 3 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

Miguel Cabrera (19): .222/.263/.556, 2 home runs, 5 RBIs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts

Brennan Boesch (13): .083/.077/.167, 1 double, 2 RBIs

Alex Avila (10): .444/.500/.889, 1 double, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Prince Fielder (9): .500/.556/1.625, 3 home runs, 4 RBIs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Austin Jackson (9): .333/.556/.500, 1 double, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts

Gerald Laird (9): .250/.333/.250, 3 strikeouts

Don Kelly (6): .167/.167/.167

Ramon Santiago (6): .167/.167/.167, 1 RBI

Quintin Berry (4): .750/.750/.750, 1 RBI

Omar Infante (3): .000/.000/.000, 2 strikeouts

Ryan Raburn (2): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Red Sox vs. Verlander (RHP)

Nick Punto (32 plate appearances): .172 BA/.250 OBP/.172 SLG, 1 RBI, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts

Carl Crawford (29): .310/.310/.310, 2 strikeouts

Jacoby Ellsbury (20): .167/.200/.222, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Kelly Shoppach (20): .222/.300/.500, 2 doubles, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts

Ryan Sweeney (17): .176/.176/.176, 7 strikeouts

Mike Aviles (16): .250/.250/.250, 1 RBI, 2 strikeouts

Adrian Gonzalez (16): .167/.375/.417, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts

Dustin Pedroia (13): .000/.000/.000, 2 strikeouts

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (12): .083/.083/.083, 6 strikeouts

Daniel Nava (4): .333/.500/.667, 1 double, 3 RBIs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

Cody Ross (3): .000/.000/.000, 1 strikeout

Aaron Cook (1): .000/.000/.000