Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 7/3

After enjoying their last day off before the All-Star break, the Boston Red Sox return home to more friendly surroundings at Fenway Park to take on the Seattle Mariners.

The game tonight will start at 7:10 PM EDT and will be televised in the Red Sox television market on NESN. If you live in the Mariners television market, you can catch the game on FOX Sports Northwest. And if the television isn’t your cup of tea, you can catch the game on one of the many affiliates of the Red Sox Radio Network.

Tim Wakefield looks for a MLB-best 11 wins as he takes the hill tonight. Wake is 10-3 with a 4.18 ERA in 15 starts in 2009. He’s struggled against the Mariners in his career though as he is just 4-9 with a 4.06 ERA in 25 games (15 starts).

“King” Felix Hernandez starts for the Mariners tonight. In 16 starts this season, Hernandez is 8-3 with a 2.54 ERA. King Felix has had good success against the Red Sox as he is 3-1 with a 3.05 in 6 career starts. He’s 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 2 career starts at Fenway Park.

With rain scattered across New England tonight, the Red Sox have issued the following statement:

The current weather forecast (provided by the Red Sox private weather service, Meteorlogix) in the vicinity of Fenway Park calls for the possibility of scattered thunderstorms to move through the area during the late afternoon and early evening hours.

The Fenway Park gates will open at the regularly scheduled time of 5:10 p.m., and the Red Sox expect that tonight’s game with the Seattle Mariners, which is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m., will start on time. However, the Red Sox want to alert our fans to the current forecast and to the possibility of delay.

This forecast is of course subject to change as the day progresses. Additional updates will be provided as necessary.

Pregame: Red Sox Vs. Mariners [Extra Bases]

Report: Sox in serious talks with coveted Cuban shortstop [Projo Sox Blog]

Wakefield deserves an All-Star spot [NESN.com]

Lowrie close to rejoining PawSox [NESN.com]

Dice-K to begin rehab program [NESN.com]

U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange to be honored at Fenway [NESN.com]

Sox News [Hit and Run with Dan Roche]

Matsuzaka’s long journey begins with a first toss [Projo Sox Blog]

Report: Sox to help Twins open new field in Minnesota next April [Projo Sox Blog]

Lowell Looks to Return Strong for Second Half [Full Count]

Here are the lineups for tonight’s game:

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