AP: Flu hits Red Sox; Delcarmen sent home

Boston, which has won five straight games and nine of 10 entering Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, were without reliever Manny Delcarmen and catcher Jason Varitek. Delcarmen changed out of his uniform and into street clothes and went home about an hour before the game started. Varitek, who appeared weak while walking around the clubhouse, was also expected to be sidelined with the flu.
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During his pregame meeting with the media, Francona said second baseman Dustin Pedroia was the backup to Tuesday’s starting catcher Kevin Cash.

“Everybody who has always volunteered, (Alex) Cora or (Mike) Lowell, guys who say they can do it, are on the DL,” Francona said. “Pedroia was next in line and, at this point, as soon as somebody tells you they can do it, that’s good enough.”

AP: Beckett pulled from start for stiff neck

Josh Beckett was scratched from his start for the Boston Red Sox against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night because of a stiff neck.
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Like a number of Red Sox players, Beckett had been suffering from the flu within the past week. Red Sox manager Terry Francona said he was over his bout with the flu, but felt stiffness when he arrived at the Fenway Park.

“He’d been sick as a number of our players are, so we had taken some precautionary measures and pulled David Pauley from his start in Pawtucket in case something happened,” Francona said… It was unclear when he would make his next start.