Byline: Paul Jarvey

COLUMN: RED SOX NOTES

BOSTON - The Red Sox begin two-and-a-half weeks of interleague play tonight, a portion of the schedule they have dominated the last three years, but one that manager Terry Francona believes is unfair.

He doesn't like that he

"You set your team up to play American League, then you go play National League style and we're going to be asking our pitchers to bunt and do thing they're not (usually) asked to do," he said. "We have handled it for the most part. We'll try to handle it again."

The Sox are 31-8 in interleague play since the start of 2006, including a three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers last month at Fenway. They have the best interleague winning percentage in the majors in that span.

The Sox will return to Cincinnati tonight for the first time since losing Game 5 of the 1975 World Series.

After a three-game set in the Queen City, the Sox will play three in Philadelphia. They'll be back at Fenway next weekend to face St. Louis and Arizona, then conclude interleague play with a trip to Houston.

"I've never quite understood the fairness, but we've overcome it," Francona said. "You do the best you can. It's like when teams come here, especially when we have David (Ortiz in the lineup). We have a full-time DH. Others teams use guys they can get at-bats for. I know they are good hitters, but not too often are they David. It's a little bit skewed depending on where you play."

He doesn't know how to make interleague more fair, though.

"It's easy to complain, but unless you have a solution, you might as well shut up," he said.

While Francona is not especially happy playing National League rules, Sean Casey, Kevin Youkilis and Justin Masterson are looking forward to playing in Cincinnati.

Casey, who is expected to play first base tonight, spent eight years with the Reds, hitting over .300 five times. Youkilis grew up in the city and played for the University of Cincinnati. Masterson, who will start tonight opposite Aaron Harang, lives outside of Dayton.

"I have great memories," said Casey, who is appealing his three-game suspension for his part in the June 5 brawl so he will be available to play this series. "I think I really connected with the fans and with the city. It will be great going back. It will be great going back with these guys, too. Boston has an air about it. It will be a lot of fun."

This will be Casey's second trip to Cincinnati since the Reds traded him to Pittsburgh before the 2006 season, but he doesn't think the first one really counts because it was early in the season and the weather was terrible.

"When I got traded it was such a shock to me," Casey said. "I had hoped I was going to be (in Cincinnati) my whole career. It didn't happen, and I understand the business side of it. But it will be great coming back."

Masterson will not only play, but get to hit for the first time since he was a sophomore in college.

"I'm more of a softball hitter," he said. "It will be fun."

Can Manny play the field?

The big question for the road trip is whether Manny Ramirez is healthy enough to play in the field.

A sore hamstring has limited him to being a DH since May 31.

With Ortiz on the disabled list with a wrist injury, Francona doesn't want to play without Ramirez, too, but he doesn't know if he'll be able to go or not.

"We lose his bat if he can't play, which we don't want to do," Francona said. "The other thing we don't want to do is hurt him. Sometimes having good common sense isn't the easiest thing to do."

With Ramirez at DH, Francona has been able to deploy a speedy outfield of Jacoby Ellsbury, Coco Crisp and J.D. Drew.

"There aren't a lot of balls that hit the grass out there," he said. "It's fun to watch. I'm sure the pitchers feel good about it, too. It's a little different style than we've been accustomed to, but it's OK."

Diamond Dust

Daisuke Matsuzaka will throw a bullpen session today. The Sox haven't announced what will happen next, but indications are he will get a rehab start for Pawtucket on Monday in Scranton. ... Jason Varitek has strep throat and didn't play last night. ... Baltimore first baseman Kevin Millar left the game in the second inning after fouling a ball off his left knee. X-rays were negative and the injury was diagnosed as a contusion.

NAME: BOSTON RED SOX

ART: PHOTO

PHOTOG: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CUTLINE: Boston's Mike Lowell is congratulated by Jacoby Ellsbury after hitting a grand slam off Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie in the fifth inning.