1.   Andy Benes, another righthanded starter the Red Sox had interest in, went to the Seattle Mariners.

2.   Fossum will follow righthanded starter Carlos Castillo to the mound Friday when the Sox face Boston College in their annual spring showdown at City of Palms Park.

3.   Reggie Jefferson replaced Canseco in the lineup last night to get a chance to hit against righthanded starter Clint Sodowsky.

4.   Sox general manager Dan Duquette was pursuing several alternatives, including trying to pry righthanded starter Pedro Astacio from the Colorado Rockies.

5.   The Nomo signing came the day after the Montreal Expos traded righthanded starter Dustin Hermanson to the St. Louis Cardinals.

6.   The Red Sox tied the game in the sixth inning on a two-run homer by Reggie Jefferson, the designated hitter against righthanded starter Jose Mercedes.

7.   The St. Louis Cardinals trumped the Sox, landing righthanded starter Dustin Hermanson from the Expos in exchange for third baseman Fernando Tatis and righthanded reliever Britt Reames.

8.   Their fourth consecutive defeat ruined a gutsy outing by righthanded starter Roy Oswalt.

9.   Things seem to work better for the Red Sox when they are facing righthanded starters and can turn loose the lefthanded likes of Reggie Jefferson and Scott Hatteberg.