5/26 @ Tampa Bay

[riverside sluggers]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/7d/fullj.e63d37431022766add654f5c8b39966f/e63d37431022766add654f5c8b39966f-getty-96524918jm013_boston_red_so.jpg

John Lackey

 

 

Vs.

 

 

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/de/fullj.6c73de902b46d7645d018cefdd48ea55/6c73de902b46d7645d018cefdd48ea55-getty-97631654jm002_toronto_blue_.jpg

Matt Garza

 

 

 

Boston (26-21) at Tampa Bay (32-14)

Fair Currently: St. Petersburg, FL

Temp: 77° F

* Game info: 7:10 pm EDT Wed May 26, 2010

* TV: NESN, SUN

 

To turn the tables on the Tampa Bay Rays and complete the first sweep of the majors’ best team in 2010, the Boston Red Sox may have to finally find a way to solve Matt Garza. The right-hander has dominated Boston lately, but the Red Sox will be seeking a season-best fifth straight victory to complete an impressive road trip Wednesday night. The Rays (32-14) outscored Boston 24-9 while winning four in a row at Fenway Park from April 16-19, but the roles have been squarely reversed this week.

 

The Red Sox (26-21) cruised to a 6-1 win Monday, then limited Tampa Bay to one hit in Tuesday’s 2-0 victory. They’ve won seven of eight overall despite navigating a difficult stretch of their schedule against the Yankees and first-place teams Minnesota, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. “We kept saying we’d get on a roll, we’d start playing better baseball,” left-hander Jon Lester said. “This is a good team and I don’t think people really believed it, but we are a good team and we’re going to keep grinding it out.”

 

David Ortiz was among the Boston players off to a slow start, but he had a two-run double Tuesday and is batting .400 with five homers and 14 RBIs in his last 10 games. Ortiz, however, is 3 for 22 (.136) with nine strikeouts against Garza, who ranks second in the AL in ERA. The Red Sox aren’t surprised - the right-hander is 6-1 with a 2.15 ERA in his last 11 starts against Boston, including two wins during the 2008 AL championship series.

 

Garza (5-2, 2.37 ERA) has never lost to the Red Sox at home, and his dominance continued in Boston on April 18, when he gave up four hits in eight scoreless innings of a 7-1 win. He also was sharp Friday at Houston, pitching an eight-inning complete game in Tampa Bay’s 2-1 loss. That same night, Boston’s John Lackey (4-3, 5.07) continued to struggle, walking a season-high five and allowing four runs in five innings of a 5-1 loss at Philadelphia.

 

“I didn’t pitch my best by any means,” said Lackey, who now looks to avoid a third straight loss after allowing 15 runs and 12 walks in 18 innings over his last three starts. The Rays clobbered him for eight runs in 3 1-3 innings of their 8-2 win at Boston on April 19. Lackey went 9-1 with a 2.36 ERA in his first 11 career starts against the Rays, but he’s 0-2 with a 17.28 ERA the last two times he’s faced them.

 

His shaky outing Friday was the only time in Boston’s last seven games that the club’s starter allowed more than two runs. The Red Sox rotation, which had a 5.18 ERA through last Tuesday, has allowed one run over 28 innings during the team’s four-game winning streak. The club’s bullpen, meanwhile, has allowed no hits and one walk in six innings in this series.

 

Willy Aybar’s fourth-inning single off Lester was the Rays’ only hit Tuesday, and one more loss would match Tampa Bay’s longest losing streak of the season - a three-game skid from May 8-10. “Obviously we’re not hitting the ball as well as we can right now,” manager Joe Maddon said. “But I’m really not in any way discouraged.”

 

The road team has won each of these teams’ first six meetings this year, though Boston has not swept a series in St. Petersburg since a four-game set from Sept. 9-12, 2002. Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is expected to miss a second straight game with a sore left side.

[BoSox21]

Should be a tough one. Lackey's struggling, Garza owns us. It makes winning the first two of the series huge.

[Palodios]

If good pitching is contagious... and both Wakefield and Dice-K caught it... maybe Lackey can catch it too?

[riverside sluggers]

As it turns out, the Sox instead DFA'd Scott Atchison and kept Darnell McDonald around because of the status of Ellsbury. It is doubtful Ellsbury will be starting tonight, its too bad because he has great numbers against Garza.... which is rare for Sox batters

 

John Lackey (14 games vs Tampa Bay, 10-3 with a 3.73 ERA-----Career at Tropicana Field in 5 games, 3-2 with a 6.06 ERA)

Jason Bartlett, 7 for 19 (.368 avg) Double, 3 Triples, RBI, Walk, K, SB

Carl Crawford, 16 for 38 (.421 avg) 2 Doubles, Triple, HR, 7 RBIs, K, 4 SBs

Ben Zobrist, 3 for 8 (.375 avg) RBI, Walk, K, SB

Evan Longoria, 3 for 11 (.273 avg) 2 Doubles, 2 RBIs, Walk, K

John Jaso, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) Walk

Hank Blalock, 25 for 72 (.347 avg) 7 Doubles, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs, 8 Walks, 11 Ks

Carlos Pena, 7 for 26 (.269 avg) Double, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, 7 Walks, 8 Ks

Sean Rodriguez, 0 for 2

Reid Brignac, 3 for 8 (.375 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, K, SB

///

Willy Aybar, 2 for 4 (.500 avg) HR, 3 RBIs, 2 Walks, K

Gabe Kapler, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) HR, RBI, K

Dioner Navarro, 2 for 19 (.105 avg) Double, 4 RBIs, 5 Ks

B.J. Upton, 3 for 18 (.167 avg) Double, HR, 3 RBIs, Walk, 6 Ks, SB

 

Matt Garza (14 games vs Boston, 6-3 with a 3.37 ERA-----Career at Tropicana Field in 37 games, 14-10 with a 3.23 ERA)

Marco Scutaro, 8 for 36 (.222 avg) 2 RBIs, 6 Walks, 5 Ks

Dustin Pedroia, 8 for 39 (.205 avg) 2 Doubles, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, Walk, 3 Ks

David Ortiz, 4 for 24 (.167 avg) Double, 3 HRs, 6 RBIs, 6 Walks, 9 Ks

Kevin Youkilis, 6 for 28 (.214 avg) 3 Doubles, HR, RBI, 5 Walks, 6 Ks

Adrian Beltre, 7 for 16 (.438 avg) Double, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs, 2 Ks

Jeremy Hermida, 2 for 11 (.182 avg) Double, Walk, 3 Ks

Jason Varitek, 3 for 19 (.158 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, 3 Walks, 5 Ks

Mike Cameron, 0 for 4, K

Darnell McDonald, 0 for 2, K

///

J.D. Drew, 3 for 21 (.143 avg) Double, HR, 4 RBIs, 3 Walks, 6 Ks

Jacoby Ellsbury, 10 for 32 (.313 avg) Double, RBI, 2 Walks, 5 Ks, 3 SBs

Victor Martinez, 6 for 23 (.261 avg) 2 Doubles, 4 RBIs, Walk, K

 

Lackey this season vs Tampa Bay in 2 games, 1-1 with a 9.78 ERA (10 ER in 9.2 innings). On the road in 5 games, 2-2 with a 4.22 ERA

 

Garza this season vs Boston in 2 games, 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA. At home in 5 games, 2-2 with a 4.20 ERA

[a700hitter]

When Garza is on his ball rides in on the batter and they hit everything off the trademark. He can be very tough. They need to work the count, get his pitch count up, get him out of the game early, and go to work on their bullpen. Wait.... that's insane!

[VA Sox Fan]

Hopefully Riverside's mojo will help us thru this:

 

Red Sox have lineup issues tonight

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff May 26, 2010 12:50 PM

 

Terry Francona did his gig on WEEI today and revealed a few interesting things:

 

* Victor Martinez is not yet ready to start.

 

* Jacoby Ellsbury will be out again.

 

* J.D. Drew is not feeling well and won't play.

 

Meanwhile, the Rays are starting Matt Garza (5-2, 2.37) tonight. Yikes.

 

Big spot for John Lackey, who has a 7.50 ERA in his last three starts and needs to join the pitching party the Sox have been hosting lately.

 

Thankfully, Darnell McDonald is still around. The only man in history to beat the DFA shouldn't have any issues with the Rays.

__________________

 

.....and let the whining begin.......

[VA Sox Fan]

RED SOX (26-21)

 

Scutaro SS

Pedroia 2B

Ortiz DH

Youkilis 1B

Beltre 3B

Hermida LF

Varitek C

Cameron CF

McDonald RF

 

Pitching: RHP John Lackey (4-3, 5.07).

[Palodios]

After all this waiting... we still don't have an outfield I trust.

[a700hitter]

RED SOX (26-21)

 

Scutaro SS

Pedroia 2B

Ortiz DH

Youkilis 1B

Beltre 3B

Hermida LF

Varitek C

Cameron CF

McDonald RF

 

Pitching: RHP John Lackey (4-3, 5.07).

Three major offensive pieces missing from the lineup on a night when they are going against Tampa's best pitcher. Lackey will need to be very stingy.

[VA Sox Fan]

Pre-game medical report on the Sox

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff May 26, 2010 04:17 PM

 

Let's start with the most vexing issue first.

 

Jacoby Ellsbury said he felt fine and had a scheduled day off yesterday before feeling something on his left side after batting practice. That's when the Sox changed plans and decided to retain Darnell McDonald.

 

Ellsbury had x-rays and a CT scan and was examined by Dr. Coco Eaton, the well-respected Rays team physician. According to Ellsbury, he had inflammation in roughly the same area as his fractured ribs.

 

The test results will journey to Boston with the Sox tonight to be studied by the doctors there. Ellsbury said he hoped the issue would be minor and not require a return to the disabled list.

 

Ellsbury said he felt better this morning but when he tried to swing a bat at the ballpark this afternoon, "it started barking on me again."

 

As for the other injured players:

 

Victor Martinez (left big toe): He can swing a bat well but squatting behind the plate is an issue — unless he's not wearing his spikes. He's improving and the Sox for the moment see no need to add a third catcher as Martinez feels he could catch in an emergency.

 

J.D. Drew (hip flexor, hamstring, calf): He needed a day off and Francona decided it would be today rather than risk something getting worse. It's a preventative measure more than anything else and it sounds like Drew will be back in the lineup tomorrow.

 

Josh Beckett (bad): Remains on track to throw a side session on Friday afternoon. He worked out again today and is making progress.

[Jasonbay44]

Wow, that is an ugly lineup.

[Palodios]

Wow, Nanc has a lot of injuries.

[VA Sox Fan]

RAYS (32-14)

 

Bartlett SS

Crawford LF

Zobrist RF

Longoria 3B

Jaso C

Blalock DH

Pena 1B

Rodriguez CF

Brignac 2B

 

Pitching: RHP Matt Garza (5-2, 2.37).

[rhet]

Wow' date=' Nanc has a lot of injuries.[/quote']

 

Not to mention the hangnail...

[rhet]

Rays are trying to keep it fair by running out four nobodies.

[a700hitter]

I like Jaso's bat, but batting him 5th behind Longoria is just stupid. The key to beating the Rays as always will be to keep Crawford off the base paths.

[Palodios]

Pre-game medical report on the Sox

 

 

Josh Beckett (bad): Remains on track to throw a side session on Friday afternoon. He worked out again today and is making progress.

 

I sure hope that's a typo...

[VA Sox Fan]

I sure hope that's a typo...

 

Hard to know, but they fixed it.

 

Josh Beckett (bad back): Remains on track to throw a side session on Friday afternoon. He worked out again today and is making progress.

[msubulldogs21]

Should be another low scoring game tonight. We've had worse luck against Garza than pretty much any pitcher I can think of off the top of my head. Tonight would be an excellent night for Lackey to right the ship and keep the streak going.

 

There's a huge difference in gaining 3 games on the Rays compared to just 1.

[VA Sox Fan]

I have a choice of the home or away broadcast tonight, no HD but I have the game on NESN!!

 

Come on Lackey, don't suck!

 

Glad we will win the series but would LOVE a sweep!

[transcam21]

I hate that I have to watch that damn spitter all night. Hopefully he can get knocked out early

[VA Sox Fan]

I hate that I have to watch that damn spitter all night. Hopefully he can get knocked out early

 

Hopefully. I hate having to look at his nasty ass chin pubes all night. VOMIT! :thumbdown

[transcam21]

Nice patient at bat there Papi. We really need for Garza's pitch count to get up there quickly

[transcam21]

There's an opportunity missed. Still, 20+ pitches for that first inning is helpful

[transcam21]

Whew

[TedWilliams101]

How do they so easily lose the count? How do you go from 1-1 to 1-1 with another ball?!!!! Orsilo needs his eyes/memory checked.

[VA Sox Fan]

Way to get outta the 1st Lackey.

 

Runs please.....thank you ADRIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[transcam21]

Wow, that was hammered

[TedWilliams101]

Beltre sucks, that Moon shot should have blown a hole through the wall... but it didn't. DFA him.

[Dipre]

"Banjo" hitter huh?