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What we’re watching: Big starts for Penny, Price

Brad Penny

Boston Red Sox starter Brad Penny delivers to the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of their baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday July 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa

AP

- After playing a dramatic 13-inning game Tuesday, the Red Sox and Rays will be looking for long outings from their starters tonight. Unfortunately for them, Brad Penny and David Price aren’t very good bets to turn them in. Penny has averaged 5.5 innings per start while going 7-5 with a 5.07 ERA. He’s yet to go seven full innings this year. Price did pitch seven innings last time out, doing so for the second time this year. However, that was against the Royals. He’s averaged 5.0 innings on is way to a 4-4 record and a 5.10 ERA.

- It probably wouldn’t have made the list under normal circumstances, but tonight’s Brewers-Dodgers game could feature fireworks if there’s still some fight left in Prince Fielder after he tried to charge the Dodger clubhouse following Tuesday’s game. Perhaps Fielder will simply let his bat do the talking against the Dodgers’ Jason Schmidt, who has been throwing 85-88 mph since returning last month. Dodger bats should make some noise as well. Braden Looper has allowed 11 runs over 11 innings in his last two starts, and he gave up four homers when he faced Los Angeles back on July 10.

Game of the Night

Colorado vs. Philadelphia - Two of the game’s hottest left-handers will face off as the Phillies try to break a three-game losing streak. They’ll turn to J.A. Happ, who has lost two in a row since his 7-0 start. Run support has played a big role there, though, as the Phillies scored a total of one run in the two losses. Happ had a 2.93 ERA and a 1.05 ERA during July. Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa was 5-0 with a 2.50 ERA last month. He’s won seven starts in a row and lowered his ERA from 5.81 to 4.68 in the process.