Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 7/13

Franklin Morales (L), Jeremy Hellickson (R)

After enjoying the past four days off for the 2012 All-Star break, the Boston Red Sox head out on the road to St. Petersburg, FL to start a three-game set tonight with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Rays television market, you can watch the game on Sun Sports. And if you don’t live in either market you’re in luck as well as the MLB Network will have coverage of the game. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Franklin Morales will make his fifth start (28th appearance) tonight for the visiting nine. In his previous 27 appearances (four starts), Morales is 1-2 with a 3.50 ERA. He’s made five appearances against the Rays this season and has no record with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/4 IP). Overall in his career, Morales has made 12 appearances agains the Rays and has no record with a 1.64 ERA (2 ER/11 IP). Five of those appearances have come at the Trop where he has no record with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/5 IP).

Jeremy Hellickson will make his 16th start this season tonight for skipper Joe Maddon. In his previous 15 starts, Hellickson is 4-5 with a 3.41 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Red Sox in 2012 and is 1-0 with a 4.34 ERA. Hellickson has made eight career appearances (seven starts) against Boston and is 3-1 with a 4.26 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:

43-43		45-41
1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Elliot Johnson	SS
2. Daniel Nava	LF	2. Carlos Pena	1B
3. David Ortiz	DH	3. Ben Zobrist	RF
4. Mauro Gomez	1B	4. B.J. Upton	CF
5. Will Middlebrooks	3B	5. Jeff Keppinger	2B
6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	6. Sean Rodriguez	3B
7. Ryan Sweeney	RF	7. Luke Scott	DH
8. Mike Aviles	SS	8. Desmond Jennings	LF
9. Pedro Ciriaco	2B	9. Jose Lobaton	C
Franklin Morales	SP	Jeremy Hellickson	SP

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

Boston Red Sox @ Tampa Bay Rays batter/pitcher matchups

NOTES: As you can see from the lineup, the Red Sox have activated Ellsbury from the 60-day disabled list. To make room on both the 25-man and 40-man rosters, they have designated pitcher Justin Germano for assignment. Adrian Gonzalez was in the original lineup but was scratched.

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Ellsbury returns, Sox to designate Germano [rob bradford – weei.com]

Pedroia: ‘We’re trying to win for [Valentine]’ [rob bradford – weei.com]

Ellsbury expresses excitement [clubhouse insider]

Adrian Gonzalez sit because Valentine thought he needed another day off after All-Star break [clubhouse insider]

Dickey reflects on Wakefield’s influence [clubhouse insider]

Hate Bobby but blame players [csn new england]

Lucchino’s ‘maddening’ letter to season-ticket holders [csn new england]

A fan’s response to Lucchino’s letter Larry’s letter [csn new england]

Breaking Down Larry’s Letter [csn new england]

Ellsbury activated; ‘excited’ to be back in lineup [csn new england]