(SportsNetwork.com) - Jake Peavy goes after his first win of the season on Tuesday when he faces his former team, as the Boston Red Sox open a three-game set with the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
Peavy spent parts of five seasons pitching for the White Sox before being sent to Boston as part of a three-team deal just before last season's non-waiver trade deadline. He beat the White Sox last season after the trade, but this will be his first time heading back to Chicago.
"It will be strange. We enjoyed having him here and he was a good pitcher," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. "I'm sure the guys will have fun. They will try to do something to distract him, I'm sure."
Peavy hasn't received a decision in two starts this season, but hasn't pitched bad. Against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday Peavy surrendered a run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings to lower his ERA on the year to 2.13.
"I promise you, when you get out on the field, I don't have any hate in my life outside the game of baseball, but I really ... when I get on the field, I don't like the opposition.
"If I had to use the word hate, I hate them," Peavy said. "I don't want to like them. I think I can really get in that mode, even though it's the White Sox. I'm going to spend some time with 'Dunner' (Adam Dunn) over these next few days, but I will not like him on Tuesday night and he won't like me."
Peavy will be trying to help Boston bounce back from a series loss in New York that saw them lose three of four to the hated Yankees. The Red Sox were without second baseman Dustin Pedroia for the finale of that set, as he had to have his left wrist examined in Boston on Monday.
Pedroia, who is listed as day-to-day, has one RBI on the season and has gone 3-for-27 (.111) while leaving 17 runners on base over his last six games. The exam, though, showed no fracture.
"I think there's probably a direct correlation to what we've seen at the plate," manager John Farrell said.
Chicago, meanwhile, took three of four over the weekend from Cleveland and will try to stay in the win column Tuesday behind right-handed rookie Erik Johnson, who is 0-1 with a 9.58 ERA.
Johnson did not get a decision on Wednesday in Colorado, but was not effective, as he allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of his team's 10-4 loss.
Alexei Ramirez's walk-off two-run home run carried the White Sox to a 4-3 win on Sunday and capped a tremendous weekend for the Cuban infielder. Ramirez went 7-for 16 with six RBI in the series.
"Everything is about the preparation, I believe," said Ramirez. "You know, this year I've been working on that and being prepared. I have my routine and, obviously, things have been good."
Boston won last season's series, 4-2, and has captured 12 of the last 16 overall matchups.
In celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, players from both teams will all wear No. 42.
[SportsNetwork.com]
