After losing their fourth game in a row, including a second straight game against the Tampa Bay Rays last night, the Boston Red Sox look to avoid a sweep this afternoon at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.
Today’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:40 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Rays television market, you can catch the game on Sun Sports. 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 get the Red Sox back into the win column in his 28th start of 2011. In his previous 27 starts, Lester is 15-6 with a 2.93 ERA. He’s made two starts against the Rays this season and is 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA (4 ER/14 IP). Lester has made 18 career starts against the Rays and is 10-4 with a 3.65 ERA. He’s enjoyed good success at the Trop where he is 4-0 with a 2.92 ERA in six starts.
James Shields looks to pull the Rays even closer in the AL Wild Card standings in his 30th start of 2011. In his previous 29 starts, Shields is 14-10 with a 2.77 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Red Sox and is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA (9 ER/23 IP). He has made 19 career starts against the Red Sox and is 6-11 with a 4.84 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:
 85-60 |
 80-64 |
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| 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF | 1. Desmond Jennings | LF |
| 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 2. B.J. Upton | CF |
| 3. Adrian Gonzalez | 1B | 3. Evan Longoria | 3B |
| 4. David Ortiz | DH | 4. Ben Zobrist | 2B |
| 5. Josh Reddick | RF | 5. Johnny Damon | DH |
| 6. Carl Crawford | LF | 6. Sean Rodriguez | SS |
| 7. Jason Varitek | C | 7. Casey Kotchman | 1B |
| 8. Marco Scutaro | SS | 8. Jose Lobaton | C |
| 9. Mike Aviles | 3B | 9. Brandon Guyer | RF |
| Jon Lester | SP | James Shields | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:
Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.
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Watch your Wake [Boston Herald]
Red Sox play 9/11 game [Clubhouse Insider]
For Sox, TB pitchers are Death Rays [ESPN Boston]
Remembering Sept. 11 and the role baseball played afterward [Extra Bases]
Buchholz continues to make progress [Extra Bases]
Red Sox, Rays Flirting With Historic Collapse, Comeback [NESN.com]
Former Red Sox Outfielder Mike Cameron Hints He May Retire Following Season [NESN.com]
Video: Terry Francona, Jed Lowrie Among Red Sox Sharing Memories of 9/11 Attacks [NESN.com]
Video: Former New York Yankees Bench Coach Don Zimmer Recalls Uncertain Morning on 9/11 [NESN.com]
Francona remembers 9/11 [Projo Sox Blog]
More Pawtucket call-ups possible [Projo Sox Blog]
Red Sox asking ace to halt four-game slide [RedSox.com]
Rays, Sox pause to honor those lost on 9/11 [RedSox.com]
2011 SoxProspects.com All-Stars [SoxProspects.com]
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