Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 6/1

Gio Gonzalez (L), John Lackey (R) - AP Photos

After a split of the four-game set with the Kansas City Royals, the Boston Red Sox welcome the Oakland A’s to town for a three-game set to close out the homestand at Fenway Park.

Tonight’s game will start at 7:10 p.m. and will be shown on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the A’s television market, you can catch the game on CSN California. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2010 Red Sox radio network.

John Lackey has had an up-and-down 2010 in his first season with the Red Sox as he’s struggled with his command at times. In ten starts, he is 5-3 with a 4.84 ERA. Lackey made three starts as a member of the Angels against the A’s in 2009 and was 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. He’s made 29 career starts against the A’s and is 16-4 with a 2.76 ERA.

Gio Gonzalez makes his 11th start of the season for the A’s and Bob Geren. In his previous ten starts, he is 5-3 with a 3.54 ERA. He’s made one career start against the Red Sox and that came in 2009. The game took place on 7/30/09 at the Fens and Gonzalez received a no-decision after allowing three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Keep reading for lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and pregame links.

28-24		29-23
1. Rajai Davis	CF	1. Marco Scutaro	SS
2. Daric Barton	1B	2. Dustin Pedroia	2B
3. Ryan Sweeney	RF	3. Victor Martinez	C
4. Kurt Suzuki	1B	4. Kevin Youkilis	1B
5. Jack Cust	DH	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. Kevin Kouzmanoff	3B	6. Adrian Beltre	3B
7. Gabe Gross	LF	7. J.D. Drew	RF
8. Mark Ellis	2B	8. Bill Hall	LF
9. Cliff Pennington	SS	9. Darnell McDonald	CF
Gio Gonzalez	SP	John Lackey	SP

Here’s the hitters have fared against tonight’s starting pitchers in their careers:

Oakland A's vs Boston Red Sox batter/pitcher matchups

Here’s an update for the Red Sox concerning the weather forecast for tonight’s game:

The current weather forecast (provided by the Red Sox private weather service, Telvent DTN) in the vicinity of Fenway Park calls for showers and thunderstorms during the early afternoon and evening hours. Conditions are expected to improve as the evening progresses.

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

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AL All-Star Voting Update – 6/1 [SOX & Dawgs]

Cameron feeling ‘a little sore’ [Clubhouse Insider]

Cameron out of lineup [CSN New England]

Scutaro’s problems are a pain in the neck [CSN New England]

Kalish promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket [ESPN Boston]

Cameron out, Ellsbury not close [ESPN Boston]

Whole lotta love for Doc from Tito [ESPN Boston]

Ask Amalie: Sunny times ahead for Sox? [Extra Bases]

Kalish promoted to Pawtucket [Extra Bases]

Cameron out with soreness [Extra Bases]

Francona bonds with Doc Rivers [Extra Bases]