Marcum’s .218 opponent batting average ranks fourth in the majors.
“I’m locating my fastball now and that makes things a little easier for me,” Marcum said after allowing two runs in six innings of a 7-2 win at Detroit on Monday.
The right-hander beat Boston after giving up three runs and three hits in seven innings of a 6-3 win on April 4, moving to 3-0 with a 2.77 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox.
Marcum will have a worthy adversary in Boston’s Josh Beckett, who is also seeking his third straight victory. Beckett (11-8, 3.92) has struck out 15 in 14 2-3 innings in his last two starts, giving up 11 hits and three runs.
Beckett hasn’t won three straight starts all season after going on runs of four and seven consecutive wins last year. In his last start, he gave up one run in eight innings of a 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
“He looks like he’s primed to go ahead and be the guy that we need,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.
The only time Beckett has failed to last five innings this season came at Toronto, when he gave up five runs in 4 2-3 innings in his first start of the year on April 6.
He’s 3-4 with a 4.92 ERA in nine career starts against the Blue Jays, most often having problems with Vernon Wells. Wells is 9-for-27 against Beckett with five home runs.