After helping Tim Wakefield pick up his 200th career win, the Boston Red Sox look to end the season series with a win over the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon at Historic Fenway Park.
Today’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can catch the game on Rogers SportsNet. 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 makes his 26th start of 2011 as he looks to snap out of his funk and push the Red Sox closer to the playoffs. In his previous 25 starts, Lackey is 12-12 with a 6.30 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Jays and is 1-2 with a 12.00 ERA (20 ER/15 IP). He’s made 18 career starts against the Jays and is 5-7 with a 5.58 ERA. He’s made three of those starts at the Fens where he is 1-2 with a 13.50 ERA (19 ER/12.2 IP).
Ricky Romero makes his 30th start of 2011 for the Blue Jays. In his previous 29 starts, Romero is 14-11 with a 3.01 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Red Sox this season and is 1-2 with an 8.22 ERA (14 ER/15.1 IP). Romero has made 12 career starts against the Red Sox and is 3-6 with a 7.63 ERA. Six of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 2-3 with a 6.47 ERA.
Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the overnight and day if you’re on the home page.
Here are this afternoon’s lineups:
 74-74 |
 86-61 |
||
| 1. Mike McCoy | SS | 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF |
| 2. Eric Thames | LF | 2. Marco Scutaro | SS |
| 3. Jose Bautista | RF | 3. Adrian Gonzalez | 1B |
| 4. Adam Lind | 1B | 4. Dustin Pedroia | 2B |
| 5. Edwin Encarnacion | DH | 5. Kevin Youkilis | 3B |
| 6. Kelly Johnson | 2B | 6. Ryan Lavarnway | DH |
| 7. Brett Lawrie | 3B | 7. Carl Crawford | LF |
| 8. J.P. Arencibia | C | 8. Jason Varitek | C |
| 9. Adam Loewen | CF | 9. Darnell McDonald | RF |
| Ricky Romero | SP | John Lackey | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:
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Pedroia breaks out in a big way [Boston Globe]
Beckett to pitch against Rays [Boston Globe]
Floating on air [Boston Globe]
Youkilis willing to play with pain [Boston Globe]
A reprieve from all that white-knuckle time [Boston Globe]
Tim Wakefield gets 200th as Sox clobber Jays [Boston Herald]
Tim Wakefield’s 200 nothing without ’04 [Boston Herald]
Manny Ramirez: A man without a plan [Boston Herald]
Dustin Pedroia busts out of slump in big fashion [Boston Herald]
Ailing Bobby Jenks KO’d for rest of year [Boston Herald]
Kevin Youkilis deals with pain [Boston Herald]
Joey Gathright gets call to join Sox again [Boston Herald]
Josh Beckett set to start Friday night vs. Rays [Clubhouse Insider]
David Ortiz discusses back spasms [Clubhouse Insider]
Wakefield gets No. 200 in 18-6 blowout [CSN New England]
Reddick’s Triple H WWE memorabilia arrives [CSN New England]
Wakefield grateful to win 200th at Fenway Park [CSN New England]
Notes: Pedroia, Ellsbury step up in win over Jays [CSN New England]
Arnold: Wild-card race ended Tuesday [CSN New England]
Beckett to start Friday; Weiland on Thursday [CSN New England]
Dustin Pedroia’s Slump No Big Deal, As He’s Proven Many Times He Can Turn It Around in a Flash [Don Orsillo – NESN.com]
Rapid Reaction: Sox 18, Jays 6 [ESPN Boston]
Teammates, fans salute Wakefield [ESPN Boston]
Dustin Pedroia helps snap Boston Red Sox out of doldrums [ESPN Boston]
Red Sox look to stay hot against Jays today [ESPN Boston]
Ortiz in brace with back spasms [ESPN Boston]
Kevin Youkilis and Shawn Thornton start book drive for military families today [Extra Bases]
Rotation set for Rays series [Extra Bases]
Ortiz hopes for quick return from back spasms [Extra Bases]
Closing Time: Dustin Pedroia steals the show as Tim Wakefield finally gets win No. 200 [Full Count]
Dustin Pedroia finds his October form [Full Count]
Bedard says lat injury ‘not serious’ but ‘frustrating’ [Full Count]
A retrospective: Tim Wakefield’s journey to 200 wins [Full Count]
Pre-game Notes: Weiland pitching Thursday, Bedard uncertain [Full Count]
Tim Wakefield’s 200th Win Just One Part of Perfect Night for Red Sox [NESN.com]
Tim Wakefield’s Milestone 200th Win Comes at Perfect Time for Red Sox [NESN.com]
Video: Tim Wakefield Glad Pursuit of 200th Win Over, Goal Remains Helping Red Sox Get to Postseason [NESN.com]
Toronto’s Morrow has seen the Erik Bedard roller-coaster before [Projo Sox Blog]
Ortiz out of the lineup for one more day [Projo Sox Blog]
At long last Wake, and Sox, win [Providence Journal]
Jenks has pulmonary embolism [Providence Journal]
Cubs willing to wait for Epstein [Providence Journal]
On this night, everyone’s a winner [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Beckett says he’s ready to go [Providence Journal]
Ortiz finds new home for charity golf outing [RedSox.com]
Lackey looks to bounce back vs. Jays [RedSox.com]
MLB gets active 200-game winner in Wake [RedSox.com]
Once again, Tim Wakefield offered perfect timing [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
Have titles made them feel entitled? [Tony Massarotti – Boston Globe]
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Photo credits: AP Photo, Getty Images
