Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 7/5

Brett Cecil (L), Jon Lester (R)

After falling yesterday, the Boston Red Sox look to get back on track in the middle game of a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays tonight at Fenway Park.

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 Blue Jays television market, you can catch the game on Rogers SportsNet. 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 become the sixth pitcher in MLB to get 11 wins in his 18th start of 2011. In his previous 17 starts, Lester is 10-4 with a 3.43 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Blue Jays in 2011 and is 2-0 with a 3.26 ERA. He’s made 16 career starts against the Jays and is 9-4 with a 3.40 ERA. Six of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA.

Brett Cecil makes just his sixth start of the season for the Blue Jays tonight. In his previous five starts, he is 1-3 with a 7.24 ERA. His lone win of the season came in his only start of 2011 against the Red Sox. In that start, he picked up the victory after allowing three runs in six innings. He’s made five career starts against the Red Sox and is 2-3 with a 6.51 ERA. Three of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 2-1 with a 7.79 ERA.

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

Here are this evening’s lineups:

42-44		49-35
1. Rajai Davis	CF	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Corey Patterson	LF	2. Marco Scutaro	SS
3. Jose Bautista	3B	3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
4. Adam Lind	1B	4. Dustin Pedroia	2B
5. Edwin Encarnacion	DH	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. Travis Snider	RF	6. Darnell McDonald	LF
7. J. P. Arencibia	C	7. Jason Varitek	C
8. John McDonald	SS	8. J. D. Drew	RF
9. Mike McCoy	2B	9. Yamaico Navarro	3B
Brett Cecil	SP	Jon Lester	SP

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

Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox batter/pitcher matchups

Notes: After being designated for assignment last week, Mike Cameron has been traded to the Florida Marlins plus cash. The Red Sox will either get back cash considerations or a player-to-be-named later.

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

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

The richest aren’t necessarily the best [Clubhouse Insider]

Kevin Youkilis expects to return tomorrow [Clubhouse Insider]

Pregame notes: Youkilis out; Crawford gets closer [CSNNE.com]

What to do about Lackey? [ESPN Boston]

Boston Red Sox’s Kevin Youkilis sitting day after hit by pitch [ESPN Boston]

Buchholz will see doctor Wednesday [ESPN Boston]

Lowrie still not taking BP [ESPN Boston]

Francona: Crawford ‘had a really good day’ [ESPN Boston]

A trade proposal: Lackey for Zito [Extra Bases]

The blinking heart of the city [Extra Bases]