The Boston Red Sox head into Yankee Stadium for the second time this season needing a win as they’ve been manhandled the past 5 games. The Red Sox and the Yankees have played 5 times this season with the Red Sox holding a 3-2 advantage right now. Of course all of those games came back in April.

Jon Lester starts for the Red Sox tonight and has faced the Yankees once in his career back in 2006, just a few weeks before he was diagnosed with cancer. He has no record with a 17.18 ERA as the Yanks got to him for 7 runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Andy Pettitte is on the hill for the Yankees tonight and owns a 15-6 record with a 3.45 ERA against the Red Sox in 29 appearances (27 games started).

The Red Sox activated Mike Timlin from the disabled list and sent Chris Smith back to Pawtucket. Before the game, Terry Francona talked about the decision. Within the post from Amalie Benjamin, there’s also a quote from Coco Crisp about what he did while he was suspended.

“We had to make a decision whether it was in his best interests to maybe go out and throw two innings, kind of get his pitch count up, throw all his pitches, but then take a couple days down,” manager Terry Francona said. “Because he’d been throwing the ball real well. We decided, you know what, we’re coming into New York, he’s been here a lot of times, he’s throwing the ball well, maybe his two innings will be here.”

The Red Sox also announced some signings during the international amateur free agent signing period.

• LHP Hansel Suero – Dominican Republic
• RHP Enrique Cuevas – Venezuela
• C Ali Gonzalez – Venezuela
• RHP Ivan Marcano – Venezuela
• C Oscar Perez – Venezuela
• 3B Juan Vargas – Venezuela

Here is a list of 11 things the Red Sox and Yankees can do together.

Lineups and batter/pitcher matchups after the jump.

50-37

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Manny Ramirez, DH
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Julio Lugo, SS

– Jon Lester, SP

45-40

1. Johnny Damon, LF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Jason Giambi, DH
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Wilson Betemit, 1B
9. Melky Cabrera, CF

– Andy Pettitte, SP

Here is how the hitters have done against tonight’s starting pitchers.