August 14th vs. Tampa Bay

[mtbykr]

Keep on winning guys!:thumbsup:

 

 

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8973/960c0f19c489430f8a07170nj8.jpgVS.http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1760/lesteruc2.jpg

 

 

 

• On a roll, Kazmir takes on the Red Sox

 

 

After making three starts on the road, Jon Lester will finally get to hear just how much the Fenway faithful appreciate his return to the Majors as the Red Sox host the Rays in the middle game of the three-game series.

Lester, who was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in his back last year, made his return on July 23 at Cleveland. He has since made two more starts, both on the road against the Devil Rays and Angels, posting a 1-0 record with a 6.43 ERA.

 

"[i'm] just trying to make another start," Lester said of his assignment. "I'm sure there will be some emotions going through my mind a little bit."

 

The left-hander lasted just 3 1/3 innings last Wednesday in Anaheim, allowing five runs on eight hits while walking three.

 

"Throwing strikes, really," he said of his main objective. "For some reason, the past couple of starts, I've just been getting away from throwing strike one, and it's really hurt me. If I get back to doing that, like I did in the Cleveland and Tampa Bay starts ... Except for one pitch in the Tampa Bay start, I thought I threw the ball well.

 

"Hopefully, I'll get back to that, and the rest will take care of itself."

 

If Lester hopes that his fortunes will be much different from his last outing, he can rest assured the surrounding environment will be. It will be his first start at Fenway since Aug. 18, 2006, against the Yankees.

 

"I'm sure it'll be good," he said. "It probably won't sink in until [Tuesday] when I get on the mound and see the Fenway background again.

 

"Any start, whether it's the seventh game of the World Series or if it's Opening Day, you try not to get too amped up. If you do, you lose control of your mind and your body and the ball starts going everywhere. I have a hard enough time controlling the ball as it is.

 

"It's been great," he added of the supportive fans, "from the mail to the bracelets to the support in Spring Training and coming back. It's been great. I couldn't ask for more."

 

With Monday's 3-0 victory, Boston has taken six of the first seven meetings with Tampa Bay, with 10 still remaining after Tuesday. Monday's win also allowed the Red Sox to maintain their four-game lead on the Yankees in the American League East.

 

Lester and the Red Sox will be opposed by another left-hander, Scott Kazmir, who has allowed just one run in his last 19 innings.

 

Pitching matchup

TB: LHP Scott Kazmir (9-7, 3.58 ERA)

Kazmir continued his friendly rivalry with teammate James Shields after he hurled six shutout innings in an 8-1 win against the Tigers. Shields did his part (seven innings and one run) in his start against the Tigers, and Kazmir was equal to the task, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. Kazmir is 5-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 13 career starts against the Red Sox.

 

BOS: LHP Jon Lester (1-0, 6.43 ERA)

After a strong performance his first time out, Lester has gotten progressively worse, giving up four runs in 6 2/3 innings, then four runs in five innings and finally five runs in 3 1/3 innings on Wednesday against the Angels. In that last outing, he gave up eight hits and walked three, only escaping a loss when the Red Sox were able to tie the game after he left. Lester faced Tampa Bay in his second outing, also a no-decision.

 

Player to watch

Julio Lugo has hit safely in five straight games, with at least two hits in his last four. He is 10-for-20 with three doubles, six RBIs and three runs over the five-game stretch. He has at least one hit in 10 of his last 11 games, batting .378 (17-for-45) in that span.

[mtbykr]

Keeping the boondock mojo rolling:

 

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/66/1517891217300f58f3dlr2.jpg

[Cocos Disciples]

It's Kazmir, not Shields tonight.

[BoSox21]

keeping the angry cat mojo going...

 

http://www.mandm.ws/FunPhotos/AngryCat2.jpg

[Khan]

Lineup from Edes at the globe:

 

Lugo 6

Pedroia 4

Ortiz D

Ramirez 7

Lowell 5

Youkilis 3

Varitek 2

Crisp 8

Pena 9

[mtbykr]

It's Kazmir' date=' not Shields tonight.[/quote']

 

Hit the wrong button, fixed now!

[See Red]

It's Kazmir' date=' not Shields tonight.[/quote']

 

Shall we go ahead and chalk it up as a loss?

[toledosoxfan]

Ick, Lester against Kazmir...this will probably be the game the Sox lose. Maybe another putrid Lester outing will force Theo to bring up Buchholz.

[Cocos Disciples]

Shall we go ahead and chalk it up as a loss?

 

I said it because the picture was of Shields.

[riverside sluggers]

Toledo, the Sox are said to be calling up Bucholz to start one of the DH against the Angels on Friday. Most likely he'll start the night game when most people can get to see his debut.

 

Scott Kazmir (14 games vs Boston, 5-3 with a 2.37 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 8 games, 3-3 with a 3.15 ERA)

Julio Lugo, 2 for 8 (.250 avg) 2 RBIs, 4 Ks

Dustin Pedroia, 5 for 9 (.556 avg) Double, K

David Ortiz, 5 for 34 (.147 avg) Double, HR, 4 RBIs, 5 Walks, 9 Ks

Manny Ramirez, 5 for 36 (.139 avg) Double, HR, RBI, 4 Walks, 11 Ks

Mike Lowell, 4 for 17 (.235 avg) HR, 2 RBIs, 2 Walks, 3 Ks

Kevin Youkilis, 4 for 21 (.190 avg) Double, 4 Walks, 10 Ks

Jason Varitek, 4 for 18 (.222 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, 5 Walks, 6 Ks

Coco Crisp, 4 for 17 (.235 avg) Double, Walk, 6 Ks

Wily Mo Pena, 3 for 14 (.214 avg) Double, RBI, 9 Ks

///

Alex Cora, 2 for 4 (.500 avg) RBI, K

Eric Hinske, 0 for 2, 2 Ks

Bobby Kielty, 7 for 13 (.538 avg) Double, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, Walk, K (would be nice to have his bat tonight)

Doug Mirabelli, 2 for 8 (.250 avg) Double, 2 Walks, 3 Ks

 

Jon Lester (2 games vs Tampa Bay, 3.29 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 10 games, 4-1 with a 4.31 ERA)

Akinori Iwamura, 1 for 4 (.250 avg) 2 Walks

Carl Crawford, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) Double, K

B.J. Upton, 2 for 6 (.333 avg) K

Carlos Pena, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) 2 RBIs

Delmon Young, 0 for 4, RBI, 2 Ks

Brendan Harris, 1 for 4 (.250 avg) Double

Jonny Gomes, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) HR, RBI, K

Josh Wilson, 0 for 5

Josh Paul, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) HR, RBI

///

Greg Norton, 0 for 3, 2 Ks

 

Kazmir this season vs Boston in 3 games, 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA. At Fenway Park in 2 games, 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA. On the road in 12 games, 6-4 with a 3.89 ERA

[Anuj09]

More Dispatch Mojo

http://www.middlebury.edu/NR/rdonlyres/E13D1233-C674-413F-8735-C7E83AA76877/0/dispatch_0035.jpg

[riverside sluggers]

Damn a resounding f*** you to gary Matthews Jr. and Orioles announcer Joe Angel. Isnt this the same Orioles announcer who started the controversy earlier this season about Schilling?

 

Harsh words heard from coast to coast

 

Orioles broadcaster Joe Angel ripped Fenway Park during the Sox-Orioles game Sunday, calling it a "toilet," while in Anaheim, Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. made certain his visit to Boston this weekend won't be overlooked, as he ripped Sox fans.

 

"They're loud, they're drunk, they're obnoxious," Matthews told a cluster of reporters, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. "They're one of the few places you'll hear racial comments . . . it's just different."

 

Matthews, who actually said he enjoyed playing in Boston and was smiling through much of his riff, was responding to a question about why the Angels have fared so poorly on their visits here. Since May 18, 2003, the Angels are 4-15 at Fenway. "It's different from New York," said Matthews. "Yankee fans are passionate about their teams, but they're a little more couth. They have a little more class than Boston fans. At least in New York they appreciate guys who play the game hard and play the game right and they let you know it.

 

"In Boston, they just smack you for three straight days. They're just dogging you there the whole time. It's a different place."

 

Meanwhile, veteran broadcaster Angel, responding to characterizations of Oriole Park at Camden Yards as "Fenway South" because of all the Sox fans there this weekend, said that was an insult to Camden Yards, which is a "beautiful ballpark" while Fenway is "basically a toilet." Several Sox fans listening to the Orioles broadcast e-mailed the Globe to note Angel's remark.

 

Racial comments? Hey matthews, guess what, you have just asked Sox fans to boo your ass off the whole f***ing wknd

[Cocos Disciples]

Whatever. I go to Fenway 10 times a year and I've never heard anyone say anything racist. But I don't sit in the bleachers...

[VA Sox Fan]

Nice 1st for Lester....keep rolling baby! Gets some hits/runs fella's!!!!!

[BoSox21]

this isnt the night to leave guys on base, boys

[BoSox21]

careful ump, you might get a bat in the chest...

[Soxfan1]

This is good. He's on his way to 3 innings of no hit balll.

[schillingouttheks]

It's f***ing on, bitches.

 

And f*** Gary Matthews Jr. Seriously. Maybe it's 'roid rage? I wonder what Orlando Cabrera has to say about that...O-Cab ripped Yankees fans and praised Sox fans. I'll be at Sunday's game, so I'll be sure to make Matthews comments known in the event that the people sitting around me didn't catch them.

 

And Joe Angel is just sick of the Orioles losing. He's hopeless.

 

Score some runs, please. Nice job from Lester so far.

[BoSox21]

you gotta be kidding me, ANOTHER manny baserunning error?

[Cocos Disciples]

Ugh Manny runs into an out again.

[joecable4219]

Manny wasn't smiling that time, dumbass. Manny bein' Manny aint funny right now.

[toledosoxfan]

Now Lester starts to fall apart...

[ORS]

Is it wrong of me if I feel like jamming steak knives in my ears every time I listen to Dewayne Staats and Joe Magrane?

[VA Sox Fan]

This is good. He's on his way to 3 innings of no hit balll.

 

No need to mention the no hit things, thank you. Bad luck.

 

Excellent play by Julio!

 

Go Johnny Lester!

[VA Sox Fan]

Is it wrong of me if I feel like jamming steak knives in my ears every time I listen to Dewayne Staats and Joe Magrane?

 

No not at all, but who are they?

 

I've got NESN.

 

Way to get out of that s*** Lester!

[toledosoxfan]

Good job by Lester there to limit the damage. Pick him up, offense.

[schillingouttheks]

The Sox better win tonight because the Yankees are in a rare 6-0 deficit right now.

[ORS]

No not at all, but who are they?

 

I've got NESN.

 

Way to get out of that s*** Lester!

The Rays announcers. They suck, they blow, and they suck, and that's while constantly bitching.

[ORS]

Six baserunners in 4, no runs....the '07 Sox in a nutshell.

[toledosoxfan]

Seems like a reversal of all of Lester's starts tonight so far...the offense bailed him out in his 2 bad outings, tonight he's been pitching well and gets no run support.