As a noted fan of the Boston Red Sox, actor Ben Affleck hasn't gotten many "birthday presents" from his favorite Major League Baseball team.

Since the debut of Affleck's acclaimed Good Will Hunting in 1998, the Red Sox have not won a game on the actor's birthday, August 15. The Red Sox are 0-12 on that date in the last 14 years, including an 0-8 record at Fenway Park in Boston, and seven one-run losses.

Given that the Red Sox have won the World Series twice in that time, Affleck doesn't have that much to complain about, but the pattern of birthday losses can't be a happy association. In a season that's seen the Red Sox bristle under the guidance of new manager Bobby Valentine and sputter into Wednesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles with a record of 57-60, a win on Wednesday night might be some small consolation. Wednesday night's game at Camden Yards in Baltimore will see Red Sox pitcher Aaron Cook (3-5, 4.70 ERA) match up against the Orioles' Miguel Gonzalez (4-2, 3.42 ERA).

Affleck's next film, Argo, is scheduled for an October 12 release. Affleck directs and stars as Tony Mendez, the CIA operative who successfully snuck six Americans out of the Canadian embassy in Tehran, Iran in 1979. The actor turns 40 on Wednesday.