Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 7/17

Josh Beckett (L), Jeff Niemann (R)

After taking yesterday afternoon’s game, the Boston Red Sox look for the series win in the finale of a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.

Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. You can also catch the game online at ESPN3.com. And if you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

After being scratched for his appearance in the All-Star Game earlier in the week, Josh Beckett looks to put the knee issue to rest in his 18th start of 2011. In his previous 17 starts, Beckett is 8-3 with a 2.27 ERA. He’s made one start against the Rays this season and that came back on June 15th. In that start, Beckett threw a complete game one-hit shutout to pick up the W. He’s made 17 career starts against the Rays and is 8-4 with a 3.15 ERA. Seven of those starts have come at the Trop where he is 2-3 with a 3.21 ERA.

Jeff Niemann makes his 11th start of 2011 for Joe Maddon. In his previous 10 starts, Niemann is 4-4 with a 4.53 ERA. He has not faced the Red Sox in 2011 and was 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA in three starts in 2010. Overall in his career, he’s made four starts against the Red Sox and is 2-2 with a 6.62 ERA.

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

Here are this evening’s lineups:

56-36		50-42
1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Johnny Damon	DH
2. Dustin Pedroia	2B	2. Ben Zobrist	RF
3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B	3. Evan Longoria	3B
4. Kevin Youkilis	3B	4. Casey Kotchman	1B
5. David Ortiz	DH	5. B.J. Upton	CF
6. J.D. Drew	RF	6. Jose Lobaton	C
7. Josh Reddick	LF	7. Sean Rodriguez	2B
8. Jason Varitek	C	8. Sam Fuld	LF
9. Marco Scutaro	SS	9. Reid Brignac	SS
Josh Beckett	SP	Jeff Niemann	SP