=== Boston Red Sox Team Report - September 8 ===

(My Sportsbook) - Two of the hottest pitchers in the American League take the hill tonight, as Boston's Pedro Martinez battles Tim Hudson and the Oakland Athletics in the finale of a three-game series at the Coliseum.

Martinez will try to win for the fifth time in seven games when he takes the ball tonight. He has registered a 4-1 record and 1.84 earned run average in his last six outings and posted his most recent win over Texas last Friday. Martinez tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out nine batters. It was the seventh straight outing that Martinez lasted at least seven innings.

Martinez, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, has had great success against the Athletics in his career, going 7-2 with a 2.20 ERA.

The Red Sox remained hot with Tuesday's victory at the Coliseum. Gabe Kapler went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and finished with three RBI and Kevin Millar ended 3-for-3 with a homer, walk and three runs scored in Boston's 7-1 win.

Johnny Damon added a solo shot and Orlando Cabrera drove in two runs with a double for the Red Sox, who have won 19 of their last 21 games. Boston remains 2 1/2 games behind New York for first place in the American League East and four games in front of second place Anaheim in the AL wild card race.

Derek Lowe (14-10) threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball for the win. Lowe, who won his fifth straight start, allowed just five hits and walked four.

Boston has won seven of eight meetings with Oakland this season. Since the start of last season, the Red Sox are 10-5 against the A's, including a 4-2 record in Oakland. The Red Sox also defeated Oakland in five games in last year's American League Division Series.