After a 14th inning walkoff win yesterday, the Boston Red Sox look to complete the sweep of the Oakland A’s in the finale of a three-game set this afternoon at Fenway Park.
This afternoon’s game will start at 1:35 p.m. and will be televised on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the A’s television market, you can watch the game on CSN California. 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 returns from the 15-day DL to make his eighth start of 2011. In his previous seven starts, Lackey is 2-5 with an 8.01 ERA. He’s made one start against the A’s this year, taking the loss after allowing one run in six innings of work back on 4/19. He’s made 32 career starts against the A’s and is 17-6 with a 2.86 ERA. One of those starts has come at the Fens where he is 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA (4 ER/6 IP).
Brett Anderson makes his 13th start of 2011 for the A’s. In his previous 12 starts, Anderson is 3-5 with a 3.68 ERA. In one start against the Red Sox this season, Anderson picked up the win after allowing no runs in eight innings in that game against Lackey. Overall in his career, Anderson is 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA in six starts. Three of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 2-0 with a 2.65 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 this afternoon’s lineups:
 27-32 |
 32-26 |
||
| 1. Coco Crisp |
CF | 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF |
| 2. Ryan Sweeney | LF | 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B |
| 3. David DeJesus | DH | 3. Adrian Gonzalez | 1B |
| 4. Conor Jackson | RF | 4. Kevin Youkilis | 3B |
| 5. Kurt Suzuki |
C | 5. David Ortiz | DH |
| 6. Daric Barton | 1B | 6. Jed Lowrie | SS |
| 7. Mark Ellis | 2B | 7. Carl Crawford | LF |
| 8. Kevin Kouzmanoff | 3B | 8. Mike Cameron |
RF |
| 9. Cliff Pennington | SS | 9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia |
C |
| Brett Anderson | SP | John Lackey | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against this afternoon’s starting pitchers:
With Lackey coming off the 15-day disabled list, Josh Reddick has been optioned to make room for Lackey on the 25-man roster.
Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.
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Crawford’s diary: I’ve had some good luck [Carl Crawford – ESPN Boston]
J.D. Drew’s final Boston chapter [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]
Strike zone worth two outs [Boston Globe]
Extra motivation for Sox’ Drew [Boston Globe]
Buchholz may be set back [Boston Globe]
Meltdown averted [Boston Herald]
Two sides of Jon Lester [Boston Herald]
Dice-K no gem, but he has Lackey beat [Boston Herald]
Sox long on toughness [Boston Herald]
Aceves up in bullpen [Boston Herald]
Perfect ending for Drew [Boston Herald]
Pregame notes: Buchholz pushed back, Dice-K speaks [Clubhouse Insider]
Sox take hard route, win in 14th, 9-8 [CSNNE.com]
Umpires tight-lipped over ejections [CSNNE.com]
Drew turns negative day into positive finish [CSNNE.com]
Sox notes: Beckett’s tough luck continues [CSNNE.com]
Red Sox notes: Dice-K confirms surgery, Buchholz to start Friday [CSNNE.com]
Rapid Reaction: Red Sox 9, Athletics 8 [ESPN Boston]
Papelbon: ‘Wasn’t trying to bump umpire’ [ESPN Boston]
Varitek: ‘It’s simple. I lost my cool’ [ESPN Boston]
Pedroia on error: ‘Oh man, I just missed it’ [ESPN Boston]
Drew: 4 straight K’s, then a whiff of success [ESPN Boston]
Red Sox did it the hard way [ESPN Boston]
Boston Red Sox to push Clay Buchholz back; will miss New York Yankees [ESPN Boston]
Dice-K not thinking he’s done with Sox [ESPN Boston]
Reddick down to make room for Lackey [ESPN Boston]
Reddick optioned; Buchholz pushed back [Extra Bases]
For Matsuzaka, the end comes quietly [Extra Bases]
What history says about the Red Sox’ opportunity in this year’s draft [Full Count]
Closing Time: Drew drives in winner of 14-inning marathon [Full Count]
Jonathan Papelbon: ‘I wasn’t even talking to’ umpire Tony Randazzo [Full Count]
Clay Buchholz moved back, Tim Wakefield again steps into the fold [Full Count]
‘Anxious’ and ‘Shocked’ Daisuke Matsuzaka doesn’t think he’s done in Boston [Full Count]
Jason Varitek: ‘I Lost My Cool a Little Bit’ [NESN.com]
Alfredo Aceves Pitches Four Innings of Relief, Shows His Value in Red Sox’ 14-Inning Win Over A’s [NESN.com]
Red Sox Blow Four-Run Lead in Ninth, But Defeat A’s 9-8 in 14 Innings [NESN.com]
Attendance Grows at Fenway Park in 1924, but Red Sox Show Little Improvement on the Field [NESN.com]
Red Sox producing “It Gets Better” video [Projo Sox Blog]
Is Matsuzaka’s Sox career finished? [Projo Sox Blog]
Francona talks about pinch-running decisions [Projo Sox Blog]
Buchholz will not pitch in New York [Projo Sox Blog]
Francona not sure who extra catcher would have been [Projo Sox Blog]
Drew’s 14th inning single caps off wild day at Fenway [Providence Journal]
Questionable strike zone led to Papelbon, Varitek ejections [Providence Journal]
Sox find a way to get the job done in victory over A’s [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Aceves’ versatility is helping his job security [Providence Journal]
Lackey returns from DL with sweep in mind [RedSox.com]
Aceves proves to be rock in Red Sox’s ‘pen [RedSox.com]
Teammates pick up Pedroia after key error [RedSox.com]
Lowrie’s splits point to right-handed success [RedSox.com]
Scutaro to play second, DH in rehab stint [RedSox.com]
Buchholz’s stiff back becoming an issue [RedSox.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the Oakland Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle websites.
Photo credits: Getty Images, AP Photo
