Morning Red Sox Delight – 5/25

Jon Lester (L), Mitch Talbot (R)

After a solid team win on Tuesday night, the Boston Red Sox look to take the series in the rubber game of three-game set against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field this afternoon.

Today’s game is scheduled to begin at 12:05 p.m. and will be televised in the Red Sox television market on NESN. If you live in the Indians television market, you can catch the game on STO. And if you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

Jon Lester looks to pick up his seventh win of the season today for skipper Terry Francona. In 10 starts this season, Lester is 6-1 with a 3.68 ERA. He’s made one start against the Indians this season and picked up a no decision after seven shutout innings back on 4/7. He’s made nine career starts against the Tribe and is 3-1 with a 3.93 ERA. Including his previous start at Progressive Field this year, Lester is 1-0 with a 5.22 ERA in five starts there.

Mitch Talbot returns from the disabled list after straining his right elbow to make the start for the Indians. He’s made just two starts this season and is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA. One of those two starts came against the Red Sox back on 4/6 where he didn’t factor into the decision. In that game, he allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings of work. Talbot has made three career appearances (two starts) against the Red Sox and is 0-0 with a 6.35 ERA.

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are this afternoon’s lineups:

26-22		30-16
1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Michael Brantley	CF
2. Dustin Pedroia	2B	2. Asdrubal Cabrera	SS
3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B	3. Shin-Soo Choo	RF
4. David Ortiz	DH	4. Shelley Duncan	DH
5. Jed Lowrie	SS	5. Matt LaPorta	1B
6. Carl Crawford	LF	6. Austin Kearns	LF
7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	7. Jack Hannahan	3B
8. Mike Cameron	RF	8. Lou Marson	C
9. Drew Sutton	3B	9. Adam Everett	2B
Jon Lester	SP	Mitch Talbot	SP

Note: Kevin Youkilis was in the original starting lineup and has been replaced by Drew Sutton. Youk was scratched due to his left hand being sore from diving for a ball yesterday.

And here is how the hitters have fared against this afternoon’s starting pitchers:

Boston Red Sox @ Cleveland Indians batter/pitcher matchups