Afternoon Red Sox Torture – 9/28

Jon Lester (L), Alfredo Simon (R)

The Boston Red Sox face another must win situation tonight in the season finale with the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

If the Red Sox win and the Tampa Bay Rays lose, the Red Sox win the AL Wild Card. If they lose and Rays win, the Red Sox are going home for the offseason. However, if both teams win or both teams lose, then they’ll play a one-game playoff on Thursday at 4:07 p.m. at Tropicana Field.

Today’s first pitch for game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and can be seen on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Orioles television market, you can catch the game on MASN. Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may also be able to catch the game on the ESPN. The game is also online at ESPN3.com where available. 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 will be called upon by Terry Francona to keep the Red Sox season alive in his 31st and most important start of 2011. In his previous 30 starts, Lester is 15-9 with a 3.49 ERA. His only start of 2011 against the Orioles came back on April 28th when he gave up two runs in eight innings of work. He’s made 17 career starts against the Birds and is 14-0 with a 2.33 ERA. Nine of those starts have come at Camden Yards where he is 7-0 with a 2.47 ERA.

Alfredo Simon will try and play spoiler in his 16th start (23rd appearance) in 2011. In his previous 22 appearances (15 starts), Simon is 4-9 with a 4.85 ERA. He’s made one start against the Red Sox this season and that came back on July 5th. He took the loss in that start after allowing three runs in 4.2 innings of work. Simon has made seven career appearances (one start) against the Red Sox and is 0-1 with a 5.59 ERA (6 ER/9.2 IP).

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 this evening’s lineups:

90-71		68-93
1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Robert Andino	2B
2. Dustin Pedroia	LF	2. J.J. Hardy	SS
3. David Ortiz	2B	3. Nick Markakis	RF
4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B	4. Vladimir Guerrero	DH
5. Ryan Lavarnway	C	5. Matt Wieters	C
6. J.D. Drew	RF	6. Adam Jones	CF
7. Marco Scutaro	SS	7. Mark Reynolds	1B
8. Carl Crawford	LF	8. Chris Davis	3B
9. Mike Aviles	3B	9. Nolan Reimold	LF
Jon Lester	SP	Alfredo Simon	SP

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

Boston Red Sox @ Baltimore Orioles batter/pitcher matchups

Notes: Clay Buchholz has been activated from the disabled list. Kevin Youkilis was placed on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Buchholz on the 40-man roster.

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

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Season now all for one [Boston Herald]

Who’s to blame? [Boston Herald]

Lavarnway is the right play [Chad Finn’s Touching All The Bases]

Francona: Red Sox, Rays race ‘good for baseball, not for my stomach’ [Clubhouse Insider]

For Red Sox, it’s all up to Jon Lester [Clubhouse Insider]

Ryan Lavarnway starting again for Red Sox in Game 162 [Clubhouse Insider]

Clay Buchholz available out of bullpen tonight for Red Sox [Clubhouse Insider]

Francona: ‘Writing on wall’ that Kevin Youkilis won’t play again in ‘11 [Clubhouse Insider]

Red Sox starter for tomorrow still ‘TBD’; Bruce Chen still with KC [Clubhouse Insider]

Red Sox soap opera continues for now [CSN New England]