After a two-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers, the Boston Red Sox welcome the Chicago Cubs to Fenway Park for the first time since the 1918 World Series for a three-game set.
Tonight’s game is scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m. (weather permitting) and will be televised on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Cubs television market, you can catch the game on WGN. If you don’t live in either market, you’re in luck as well as the MLB Network will have coverage of the game. 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 the first Red Sox pitcher to reach 10 starts this season. In his previous nine starts, Lester is 5-1 with a 3.28 ERA. He’s never faced the Cubs in his career.
Doug Davis will make the start for skipper Mike Quade. It’s just his second start of the season and he is 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA. He’s made seven career appearances (six starts) against the Red Sox and is 3-2 with a 3.79 ERA. Three of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 1-1 with a 3.52 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 tonight’s lineups:
 19-23 |
 23-20 |
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| 1. Starlin Castro | SS | 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF |
| 2. Darwin Barney | 2B | 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B |
| 3. Jeff Baker | 3B | 3. Adrian Gonzalez | 1B |
| 4. Aramis Ramirez | DH | 4. Kevin Youkilis | 3B |
| 5. Carlos Pena | 1B | 5. David Ortiz | DH |
| 6. Marlon Byrd | CF | 6. Jed Lowrie | SS |
| 7. Alfonso Soriano | LF | 7. Mike Cameron | RF |
| 8. Reed Johnson | RF | 8. Carl Crawford | LF |
| 9. Koyie Hill | C | 9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia | C |
| Doug Davis | SP | Jon Lester | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against tonight’s starting pitchers:
Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.
With Drew Sutton being called up and Jose Iglesias being sent down, the Red Sox designated Daniel Nava for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Sutton.
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Pregame notes: Lackey had shot; Sox not worried about Beckett [Clubhouse Insider]
Despite neck pain, Josh Beckett expects to make his next start [Clubhouse Insider]
Red Sox-Cubs is much ado about nothing [CSNNE.com]
100,000 for a Sox-Cubs ticket? [CSNNE.com]
1918 World Series flashback: Sox vs. Cubs [ESPN Boston]
Welcome, old friends … [ESPN Boston]
Buckner, ex-Cub, ex-Sox, in the house [ESPN Boston]
Podcast: Schilling on Sox pitching and more [ESPN Boston]
Morales, Wheeler, Sutton here, Nava DFA [ESPN Boston]
Five things to know about Cubs [ESPN Chicago]
Bill Buckner ‘excited’ for return [ESPN Chicago]
Sox looking down at pitch counts? [Extra Bases]
NU to honor Montalbano tomorrow [Extra Bases]
Beckett stands tall, record aside [Extra Bases]
Welcome back, Cubbies [Extra Bases]
Sutton called up from Pawtucket [Extra Bases]
Red Sox transactions in the last 24 hours [Extra Bases]
Beckett feeling better; Morales ready to go [Extra Bases]
Pitching notes: John Lackey had cortisone shot Monday, hasn’t thrown since [Full Count]
Red Sox option Jose Iglesias to Pawtucket, announce other roster moves [Full Count]
Recruiting pitch: How Drew Sutton was sold on becoming a Red Sox [Full Count]
Boston hopes Morales can be lefty specialist [Jim Bowden – ESPN.com]
Top 10 Pieces of Advice Red Sox Fans Can Give Cubs Fans [NESN.com]
Red Sox are rolling [Nuggetpalooza]
Baseball’s Sad Lexicon [Projo Sox Blog]
A Series Matter: Red Sox-Cubs and Ancient History [Projo Sox Blog]
Utilityman Sutton replaces Iglesias on Red Sox roster [Projo Sox Blog]
Beckett still on track to make next start [Projo Sox Blog]
Wheeler hoping to turn disabled-list stint into a benefit [Projo Sox Blog]
Morales arrives, ready to contribute [Projo Sox Blog]
Cubs’ return to Fenway offers window to past [RedSox.com]
Lester, Red Sox host Cubs in historic series [RedSox.com]
Photo credit: AP Photo, Getty Images
