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BOS@NYY: Doubront throws four scoreless frames

The Red Sox and Blue Jays, two American League East rivals, began the 2012 campaign heading in different directions. Now they'll get a chance to go head-to-head this week.

The Blue Jays won their first two games of the season in extra innings against Cleveland, before dropping Sunday's finale in nine innings. Boston was swept by Detroit this weekend.

After the loss Sunday, the Red Sox have started consecutive seasons 0-3 for the first time since doing it three seasons in a row, from 1931-33.

The Blue Jays will send right-hander Henderson Alvarez to the hill in Monday's home opener. Alvarez posted a 3.53 ERA in 10 starts during his rookie campaign last year, and worked on developing a slider during Spring Training to help add an additional element to the strong fastball/changeup combo he already possesses.

"He'll work quick, throw strikes and change speeds," Toronto manager John Farrell said. "The one thing that stood out last year when we had first-year guys come to the pitching staff, Alvarez, [Joel] Carreno and Luis Perez, all three handled themselves exceptionally well in the situations they found themselves in."

The Red Sox will counter with Felix Doubront, who is on an Opening Day roster for the first time in his career. Monday will be the southpaw's fourth career start and first since 2010.

"I have probably more confidence than that time against the Dodgers," Doubront said, referring to his Major League debut. "I was a little bit nervous.

"I have to be aggressive with every batter in the lineup. I have respect for all the hitters, and my plan is to get ahead."

Boston won 10 of the 18 meetings between the two teams last season, averaging 7.6 runs per game.

Blue Jays: Backstop gets deserved rest
• Catcher J.P. Arencibia received the day off Sunday after catching all 28 innings of the Blue Jays' first two games of the season. He is expected to return Monday for the club's home opener.

• Right-hander Dustin McGowan, who was shut down late in Spring Training due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, has yet to resume throwing and there is no immediate timetable for his return to the Majors. He was expected to open the season as the team's No. 5 starter.

Red Sox: Newcomer off to hot start
• Outfielder Ryan Sweeney is making waves through his first three games in a Boston uniform, notching five hits in the three-game series against Detroit. Sweeney, who spent the last four seasons in Oakland, entered Sunday with the team lead in hits (four) and is batting .455 after going 1-for-4 in the series finale against the Tigers.

• Eight of Boston's first 10 games this year will be played in the afternoon. Last year, Boston had the third-best day game record in the American League, at 30-20. That was good for fourth in the Majors.

• Boston's first home run of the season came from Adrian Gonzalez, who hit a two-run blast in the sixth inning of Sunday's game.

Worth noting
• Ten of Boston's next 12 games will be against AL East foes. After the three-game set with the Blue Jays, the Red Sox have a four-game home series against the Rays before a two-game series against the Rangers and three games against the defending division champion Yankees.

• Sunday's was Toronto's first game of the season to end in nine innings. The Jays started the year with back-to-back extra-innings affairs for the first time in franchise history. Since the start of the 2011 season, the Blue Jays have the best winning percentage in extra-innings games -- 15-4 (.789). The Dodgers are second at 9-3.

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