Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 6/17

Shaun Marcum (L), John Lackey (R)

After finishing up an 8-1 road trip, the Boston Red Sox return home to the friendly confines of Fenway Park to begin interleague play. Tonight, they’ll face the Milwaukee Brewers in the first of a three-game set to kickoff a six-game homestand.

Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and you can watch the game on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Brewers television market, you can catch the game on Fox Sports North. If you don’t live in either market you’re in luck as well as the MLB Network will be televising 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.

John Lackey has pitched better since returning from the disabled list. He’ll make his 10th start of 2011 and is 4-5 with a 7.41 ERA in his previous nine starts. He’s never faced the Brewers in his career. He’s made two career starts in interleague play as a member of the Red Sox and is 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA. Overall in his career, he’s made 29 appearances (28 starts) in interleague play and is 14-5 with a 2.96 ERA.

Shaun Marcum makes his 15th start of the season for skipper Ron Roenicke. In his previous 14 starts, Marcum is 7-2 with a 2.68 ERA. He made three starts against the Red Sox in 2010 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays and was 1-2 with a 4.19 ERA. He’s made 16 appearances (11 starts) in his career against the Red Sox and is 5-5 with a 4.38 ERA. Eight of those appearances (six starts) have come at the Fens where he is 3-2 with a 3.52 ERA.

Click on the read more button below to see tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the overnight and morning if you’re on the home page.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

39-31		41-27
1. Rickie Weeks	2B	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Nyjer Morgan	CF	2. Dustin Pedroia	2B
3. Ryan Braun	LF	3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
4. Prince Fielder	DH	4. Kevin Youkilis	3B
5. Casey McGehee	3B	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. Corey Hart	RF	6. Carl Crawford	LF
7. Mark Kotsay	1B	7. Marco Scutaro	SS
8. Jonathan Lucroy	C	8. J.D. Drew	RF
9. Craig Counsell	SS	9. Jason Varitek	C
Shaun Marcum	SP	John Lackey	SP

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

Milwaukee Brewers @ Boston Red Sox batter/pitcher matchups

The Red Sox will be without closer Jonathan Papelbon for the next two days as he will begin to serve his suspension. After appealing, his three-game suspension was reduced to two games.

Drew Sutton has been recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. He’ll take the place of Jed Lowrie who has been placed on the 15-day DL with shoulder issues.

Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.

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

Daniel Bard: Patience paid off for good friend Andrew Miller [Clubhouse Insider]

Lowrie to DL, Sutton up, Buchholz pushed back few days, Miller on Monday [Clubhouse Insider]

David Ortiz & Ray Allen juggle two demanding jobs [CSNNE.com]

Ready to realign? [CSNNE.com]

Early notes: Francona a bandwagon Bruins fan [CSNNE.com]

Boston Red Sox put SS Jed Lowrie on DL with sore shoulder [ESPN Boston]

Boston Red Sox’s Jonathan Papelbon’s suspension reduced, begins Friday [ESPN Boston]

Buchholz may be pushed back a few days [ESPN Boston]

Francona’s a Bruins fan [ESPN Boston]

Let the Jose Reyes talk commence [Extra Bases]