After putting another damper on the playoff hopes of their opponent last night, the Boston Red Sox look to do it again tonight in the third game of a four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and the game will be broadcast 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 can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.
Daisuke Matsuzaka looks to put together a strong start in just his 10th start of 2012. In his previous nine starts, Matsuzaka is 1-5 with a 7.14 ERA. He has not faced the Rays this season and is 2-7 with a 5.83 ERA in 13 career starts against them. Six of those starts have come at the Trop where he is 1-2 with a 3.97 ERA.
Rookie Chris Archer makes his fourth start (fifth appearance) of 2012 for the Rays. In his previous four appearances (three starts), Archer is 0-3 with a 3.22 ERA. Tonight marks his first career start against the Red Sox.
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:
 68-81 |
 78-70 |
||
| 1. Pedro Ciriaco | 3B | 1. Desmond Jennings | LF |
| 2. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF | 2. B.J. Upton | CF |
| 3. Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 3. Ben Zobrist | SS |
| 4. Cody Ross | RF | 4. Evan Longoria | 3B |
| 5. James Loney | 1B | 5. Luke Scott | DH |
| 6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia | DH | 6. Jeff Keppinger | 2B |
| 7. Ryan Lavarnway | C | 7. Matthew Joyce | RF |
| 8. Daniel Nava | LF | 8. Carlos Pena | 1B |
| 9. Jose Iglesias | SS | 9. Jose Molina | C |
| Daisuke Matsuzaka | SP | Chris Archer | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:
NOTES:
REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
Alfredo Aceves still wants to start, faces uncertain future with Red Sox [clubhouse insider]
First pitch: Coaching staff should be clean slate for Valentine’s replacement [csn new england]
Valentine sticks with Iglesias for now [espn boston]
Down the stretch they come in the AL East [extra bases]
Taking a deeper look at Lavarnway [extra bases]
Red Sox will wait for roster additions [extra bases]
Red Sox Minor League Roundup: The end of 2012 (sort of) arrives … at least for some [full count]
Bobby Valentine defends decision to pinch-hit for Jose Iglesias on The Big Show [full count]
Jacoby Ellsbury Heating Up As Red Sox Look to Inflict More Pain on Reeling Rays [nesn.com]
Jacoby Ellsbury Returning to Last Season’s Impressive Form After Playing Catch-Up Following Injury [nesn.com]
Lester nominated for Clemente Award [projo sox blog]
Breslow excelling with Sox [projo sox blog]
Reinforcements to come Friday [projo sox blog]
Dice-K gets call against slumping Rays [redsox.com]
The last days of the Bobby V. error [touching all the bases]
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photo credits: getty images, getty images
