Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 5/21

Clay Buchholz (L), Tommy Hunter (R)

After taking two-of-three from the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, the Boston Red Sox return to the park for the first time where their 2011 season ended, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Tonight they’ll take on the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a three-game set.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Orioles television market, you can catch the game on MASN 2. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Clay Buchholz looks to continue his turnaround in his ninth start of 2012. In his previous eight starts, Buchholz is 4-2 with a 7.77 ERA. He’s made one start against the Orioles, taking a no decision in the 17 inning affair on May 6th. In that start, he allowed five runs in 3.2 innings. Overall in his career, Buchholz has made 11 appearances (10 starts) against the Birds and is 5-3 with a 3.79 ERA. Six of those appearances (five starts) have come at Camden Yards where he is 3-2 with a 4.94 ERA.

Tommy Hunter is also making his ninth start of the season for the surprising Orioles. In his previous eight starts, Hunter is 2-2 with a 4.78 ERA. He was matched up against Buchholz in the 17 inning game and also took a no decision after allowing five runs in 4.1 innings of work. He’s made seven career starts against the visiting nine from Beantown and is 2-1 with a 7.02 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:

20-21		27-15
1. Mike Aviles	SS	1. Xavier Avery	LF
2. Dustin Pedroia	2B	2. J.J. Hardy	SS
3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B	3. Nick Markakis	RF
4. David Ortiz	DH	4. Adam Jones	CF
5. Will Middlebrooks	3B	5. Matt Wieters	C
6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	6. Chris Davis	1B
7. Daniel Nava	LF	7. Wilson Betemit	3B
8. Marlon Byrd	CF	8. Nick Johnson	DH
9. Che-Hsuan Lin	RF	9. Robert Andino	2B
Clay Buchholz	SP	Tommy Hunter	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

Boston Red Sox @ Baltimore Orioles batter/pitcher matchups

Notes: Cody Ross could be out for a few months after MRI discovered fracture in his foot. He’ll go the DL tomorrow with Kevin Youkilis likely taking his spot on the 25-man roster.

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

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In search of the Yaz lookalike [Boston Herald]

Cody Ross fractures navicular bone in left foot [Clubhouse Insider]

How can Red Sox keep Youk and Middlebrooks? Put Gonzo in outfield [Clubhouse Insider]

Red Sox notebook: State of the Sox [CSN New England]

Has anything changed with Josh Beckett? [CSN New England]

Ross (broken foot) expected to be out two months [CSN New England]

Virtual Linsanity, Vol. 2 [CSN New England]

Sox, Sweeney play it safe, will sit Monday [CSN New England]

Ross has broken bone in foot, appears headed to DL [ESPN Boston]

Aviles rising to the challenge at shortstop [Extra Bases]