Clay Buchholz (L), Carlos Villanueva (R)

After winning 8-5 last night, the Boston Red Sox look to make it two in-a-row this afternoon in the middle game of a three-game set in the Battle For the Basement with the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:07 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Yankees television market, you can catch the game on Rogers SportsNet and TVA Sports (French broadcast). If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Clay Buchholz makes his 27th start of 2012 this afternoon. In his previous 26 starts, Buchholz is 11-6 with a 4.46 ERA. He’s made two starts against the Jays this season and is 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA (6 ER/16.2 IP). Buchholz has made 14 career appearances (13 starts) against the Jays and is 8-4 with a 2.71 ERA. Eight of those starts have come at the Rogers Centre where he is 6-2 with a 1.72 ERA.

Carlos Villanueva makes his 14th start (36th appearance) for the Jays. In his previous 35 appearances (13 starts), Villanueva is 7-5 with a 3.48 ERA. He’s made three appearances (two starts) against the Red Sox this season and is 1-0 with a 4.73 ERA. Villanueva has made eight career appearances (three starts) against the Red Sox and is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA.

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

Here are today’s lineups:

Boston Red Sox64-80 Toronto Blue Jays65-77
1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF 1. Rajai Davis LF
2. Daniel Nava LF 2. Brett Lawrie 3B
3. Dustin Pedroia 2B 3. Edwin Encarnacion DH
4. Cody Ross RF 4. Adam Lind 1B
5. James Loney 1B 5. Yunel Escobar SS
6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia C 6. Kelly Johnson 2B
7. Ryan Lavarnway DH 7. Yorvit Torrealba C
8. Mike Aviles SS 8. Moises Sierra RF
9. Pedro Ciriaco 3B 9. Anthony Gose CF
Clay Buchholz SP Carlos Villanueva SP

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

Boston Red Sox @ Toronto Blue Jays batter/pitcher matchups

NOTES:

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Salty takes big strides [boston herald]

Lovullo welcomes chance at Sox job [boston herald]

Nava pens own glove story [boston herald]

Bobby Valentine: Call-ups [boston herald]

Youngsters lift Sox past Jays, 8-5 [csn new england]

Dustin Pedroia rejoins Red Sox, back in lineup [clubhouse insider]

Sox owners have more to gain by staying put [csn new england]

Nava happy to contribute again [csn new england]

Red Sox notes: Pedroia, Carpenter [csn new england]

Sox win in Toronto; still stuck in East cellar [espn boston]

Pedroia rejoins team in Toronto, back in lineup for Saturday’s game [extra bases]

What should the Red Sox make of Mauro Gomez? [full count]

Pedroia back with the team [projo sox blog]

Opportunity presents itself to Buchholz [redsox.com]

Valentine seeks depth for Red Sox’s thin roster [redsox.com]

Red Sox formulating next step for Lackey [redsox.com]

Pedroia anticipated to rejoin Sox over weekend [redsox.com]

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photo credits: getty images, getty images