Fans accustomed to taking Storrow or Memorial Drives to Fenway will need to seek alternate routes this weekend. Here’s a release by the Red Sox detailing road closures over the holiday.

Friday, July 3, 2009

·         The westbound lane of Storrow Drive closes at 4:00pm on July 3^rd.

·         The Fenway and Kenmore exits will be inaccessible to patrons after 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

·         Storrow Drive will be closed in both directions all day starting from 7:30 a.m.

·         The Longfellow Bridge will close at 4:30 p.m.

·         Memorial Drive from the Longfellow Bridge to Massachusetts Avenue will close at 4:30 p.m.

·         Memorial Drive from Massachusetts Avenue to the BU Bridge will close at 6:00 p.m.

·         The BU Bridge will close at 6:00 p.m.

As a result, fans that normally travel to Fenway Park via either Storrow or Memorial Drives should seek alternate routes and are urged to use public transportation wherever possible.

The Red Sox play the Seattle Mariners at 7:10 p.m on Friday, July 3^rd and at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday, July 4^th.  The road closings are due to Independence Day activities taking place on the Esplanade.

Tomorrow’s start is a big one for Tim Wakefield. The 42-year-old knuckleballer is attempting to become the second-oldest first-time All-Star in history (behind only Satchel Paige) and right now he’s a borderline candidate at best.

But Wakefield can make himself a much stronger choice with a solid start tomorrow against the Mariners. Currently 10-3 with a 4.18 ERA, Wakefield can lower his ERA below 4.00 with at least five shutout innings, or with seven innings of one-run ball. His margin for error is slim — one run in 6.2 innings won’t cut it, leaving his ERA at 3.9967, which gets rounded up to 4.00.

Further helping his cause is the league’s decision to add a 13th pitcher to each roster. The pitcher will be selected by the manager, which means Wakefield might want to do something nice for Tampa’s Joe Maddon between now and Sunday, when the teams are selected.

The Red Sox just announced the signing of outfielder Reymond Fuentes, their first-round selection in last month’s annual first-year player draft.

Fuentes will receive a signing bonus of $1.13 million from the Sox and will be assigned to their Gulf Coast League affiliate.

Fuentes, a cousin of the New York Mets’ Carlos Beltran, hit .424 with nine stolen bases in 13 games this season.

Four other recent draft picks also agreed to terms: fourth-rounder Jeremy Hazelbaker from Ball State, an outfielder; outfielder Shannon Wilkerson, taken in the eighth from Augusta State; catcher Michael Thomas, a 12th round selection from Southern University A&M; and 13th round pick Chris McGuiness, a first baseman from The Citadel.

Even with things going as bad as they possibly could last night, the Sox had the good fortune of having the Rotation Gods looking out for them today. In other words, it’s a good time to have Josh Beckett on the mound.

Beckett will look to ease the team’s pain in today’s season finale matinee at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. In the wake of last night’s 11-10 loss here, the veteran right-hander takes the mound pitching about as well as anyone right now. He just finished up a June in which he went 4-1 with a 1.51 ERA in five starts. He’s won seven of his last eight decisions and has All-Star caliber numbers of 9-3 with a 3.48 ERA right now.

The only downer — aside from the nightmares many of the Red Sox players probably endured last night — is that Beckett is just 2-2 with a 5.81 ERA in five day games this season.

Here are the teams’ lineups for the 1:35 pm. start:

RED SOX

1. JD Drew RF

2. Dustin Pedroia 2B

3. Kevin Youkilis 3B

4. Jason Bay LF

5. David Ortiz DH

6. Jacoby Ellsbury CF

7. Mark Kotsay 1B

8. Jason Varitek C

9. Nick Green SS

RHP Josh Beckett

ORIOLES

1. Brian Roberts 2B

2. Felix Pie CF

3. Nick Markakis RF

4. Aubrey Huff 1B

5. Luke Scott DH

6. Nolan Reimold LF

7. Ty Wigginton 3B

8. Gregg Zaun C

9. Robert Andino SS

RHP Brad Bergesen

The Red Sox have put third baseman Mike Lowell on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to last Sunday due to soreness in his right hip.

Jeff Bailey was called up from Pawtucket and will start at first base tonight vs. the Orioles.

Here are the lineups:

RED SOX

Lugo SS

Pedroia 2B

Youkilis 3B

Bay LF

Ortiz DH

Vartiek C

Baldelli RF

Ellsbury CF

Bailey 1B

Smoltz P

ORIOLES

Brian Roberts 2B

Adam Jones CF

Nick Markakis RF

Aubrey Huff 1B

Nolan Reimold LF

Luke Scott DH

Melvin Mora 3B

Matt Wieters C

Robert Andino SS

Rich Hill P