Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 6/14

Tim Wakefield (L), James Shields (R)

After taking winning their last nine straight games, including the past six on the road, the Boston Red Sox look to keep those streaks alive in the first game of a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and you can watch the game on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Rays television market, you can catch the game on Sun Sports. If you don’t live in either market you’re in luck as the game will be broadcast on the MLB Network. And if you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

Tim Wakefield steps to the hill for his seventh start (16th appearance) of the season for Terry Francona. In his previous 15 appearances (six starts), Wake is 3-1 with a 4.84 ERA. He’s made one appearance against the Rays in 2011 and was knocked around a little bit. He allowed five runs (four earned) in 3.1 innings back on April 11th. Wake’s made 45 appearances (34 starts) against the Rays in his career and is 21-7 with a 3.78 ERA and three saves. 25 of those appearances (19 starts) have come at the Trop where he is 10-4 with a 3.40 ERA and three saves.

James Shields looks to bring the Rays closer to the Red Sox in the AL East standings in his 14th start of 2011. In his previous 13 starts, Shields is 5-4 with a 2.85 ERA. He has not faced the Red Sox yet in 2011 and was 2-2 with a 4.78 ERA in four starts against them in 2010. Shields has made 16 career starts against the Red Sox and is 5-9 with a 5.17 ERA. In six starts at the Trop against the Red Sox, Shields is 4-2 with a 3.25 ERA.

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

Here are tonight’s lineups:

39-26		35-31
1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Johnny Damon	DH
2. Dustin Pedroia	2B	2. Ben Zobrist	2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B	3. Matt Joyce	RF
4. Kevin Youkilis	3B	4. Evan Longoria	3B
5. David Ortiz	DH	5. Casey Kotchman	1B
6. Carl Crawford	LF	6. B.J. Upton	CF
7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	7. John Jaso	C
8. J.D. Drew	RF	8. Justin Ruggiano	LF
9. Marco Scutaro	SS	9. Reid Brignac	SS
Tim Wakefield	SP	James Shields	SP

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

Boston Red Sox @ Tampa Bay Rays batter/pitcher matchups

Darnell McDonald has been activated from the 15-day DL. To make room on the roster for him, Drew Sutton was optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.

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Agent: ‘Win-win situation thus far’ between Andrew Miller, Red Sox [Clubhouse Insider]

Epstein to meet with Miller; Rays were ‘party central’ to Crawford [Clubhouse Insider]

Notes: McDonald back with the Red Sox [CSNNE.com]

Deadline looms for Andrew Miller [ESPN Boston]

Better lineup bringing out best in Gonzalez [ESPN Boston]

Crawford’s improvement vs. righties [ESPN Boston]

Francona makes the right call — to Julien [ESPN Boston]

Sox activate Darnell McDonald [ESPN Boston]

Boston Red Sox haven’t approached David Ortiz about future [ESPN Boston]

What does the future hold for David Ortiz? [Extra Bases]