Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 5/9

Jon Lester (L), Bruce Chen (R)

After winning falling last night 6-4, the Boston Red Sox look to take the series tonight in the rubber game of a three-game set against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO.

First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Royals television market, you can catch the game on Fox Sports Kansas City. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Jon Lester looks for his second win of 2012 in his team-high seventh start. In his previous six starts, Lester is 1-2 with a 4.62 ERA. He made two starts against the Royals in 2011 going 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA (2 ER/11 IP). He’s had good success against the Royals as he is 5-1 with a 1.30 ERA (7 ER/48.1 IP) in seven career starts. Two of those starts have come at Kauffman Stadium where he is 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA (5 ER/11 IP).

Bruce Chen looks for his first win of 2012 in his seventh start. In his previous six starts, Chen is 0-4 with a 4.98 ERA. He took the loss in his only start against the Red Sox in 2011 when he allowed 10 runs in four innings back on July 27. The well-traveled veteran, including a stop in Boston in 2003, has made 16 career appearances (nine starts) against the Red Sox and is 3-6 with a 5.98 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 today’s lineups:

12-17		10-19
1. Mike Aviles	SS	1. Jarrod Dyson	CF
2. Dustin Pedroia	2B	2. Alex Gordon	LF
3. David Ortiz	DH	3. Billy Butler	1B
4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B	4. Jeff Francoeur	RF
5. Will Middlebrooks	3B	5. Johnny Giavotella	DH
6. Cody Ross	LF	6. Brayan Pena	C
7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	7. Irving Falu	3B
8. Marlon Byrd	CF	8. Chris Getz	2B
9. Ryan Sweeney	RF	9. Alcides Escobar	SS
Jon Lester	SP	Bruce Chen	SP