Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 8/4

Justin Masterson (L), Jon Lester (R)

We were off this morning for some personal business but now we’re back in action.

After a great pitching performance from Josh Beckett and the eventful return of Mike Lowell last night, the Boston Red Sox look to take game three of a four-game set against the Cleveland Indians tonight at Fenway Park.

This evening’s game will start at 7:10 p.m. and will be shown on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Indians television market, you can catch the game on STO. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2010 Red Sox radio network.

Jon Lester will look to end a three-game losing streak in his 22nd start of 2010. In his previous 21 starts, Lester is 11-6 with a 3.05 ERA. He’s faced the Indians once in 2010, picking up a no decision back on June 10th when he allowed six runs in six innings in a game won by the Indians 8-7. Overall in his career, he’s made seven career starts against the Indians and is 3-0 with a 4.65 ERA. Lester will be making his first since his wife Farrah gave birth to their first child, a son named Hudson.

Justin Masterson returns to Fenway Park for a second time but his first as a starter with the Indians. He was on the DL when the Indians visited the Red Sox at the end of last season. Masterson is making his 22nd start of 2010 and is 3-10 with a 5.55 ERA. He shut down his former club back in his only appearance against them back on June 9th when he threw the first complete game shutout of his career. He made 36 appearances (eight starts) at Fenway Park as a member of the Red Sox and was 8-2 with a 3.61 ERA.

Keep reading for lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and pregame links.

Here are tonight’s starting lineups:

45-61		60-46
1. Jason Donald	2B	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera	SS	2. Marco Scutaro	SS
3. Shin-Soo Choo	RF	3. David Ortiz	DH
4. Shelley Duncan	LF	4. Victor Martinez	1B
5. Matt LaPorta	1B	5. J.D. Drew	RF
6. Jayson Nix	DH	6. Adrian Beltre	3B
7. Andy Marte	3B	7. Ryan Kalish	LF
8. Trevor Crowe	CF	8. Jed Lowrie	2B
9. Lou Marson	C	9. Kevin Cash	C
Justin Masterson	SP	Jon Lester	SP

Here’s how the hitters have fared against this evening’s starting pitchers in their careers:

Cleveland Indians vs Boston Red Sox batter/pitcher matchups

As we found out last night during the postgame show, Jacoby Ellsbury has been activated from the disabled list. And as announced today, Daniel Nava was sent back to Pawtucket to make room for Ellsbury on the 25-man roster.

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

Masterson ready for his Fenway return [Clubhouse Insider]

Ellsbury on playoffs: ‘It’s definitely attainable’ [Clubhouse Insider]

Ellsbury raring to go [Clubhouse Insider]

Pregame notes: Ellsbury, Youkilis and Beltre’s fightin’ words [Clubhouse Insider]

Lowell placed on waivers [CSN New England]

Youkilis denies tweet that his season is over [CSN New England]

Ryan Kalish’s Call-Up to Red Sox Surprised Many, Has Excited All [Don Orsillo – NESN.com]

Youkilis to visit hand specialist [ESPN Boston]

Lowell’s moment made an impression [Extra Bases]

They’ve gone the distance (so far) [Extra Bases]

Latest podcast: Changes and limbo [Extra Bases]