| 27 August 2010
This weekend the Red Sox will attempt to climb back into the playoff hunt with a 3-game set against the Rays in Tampa Bay. A sweep would put them 2.5 games behind the Rays and potentially the Yankees as well. Anything less than two wins in the series and Red Sox Nation is likely to turn their attention to the upcoming football season.
Tonight, we get the first of three great pitching matchups: Jon Lester (13-8, 3.26) vs David Price (15.5, 2.97).
Lester is coming off of his worst start of the season. After pitching 8 shutout innings in 120 degree weather in Texas, Lester struggled with his command against the Blue Jays and coughed up 9 runs on 8 hits (2 HR) and 3 walks, and was pulled after 2 innings of work. Lester is pitching today because Matsuzaka's back is sore, but the extra rest should actually benefit Lester...
Lester is 7-3 with a 4.18 ERA in 14 starts against the Rays. On May 25th, he threw 6 shutout innings and fanned 9 in a win over the Rays. He held them to one hit, but walked 5 in that game. On April 18th, he had his second worst game of the 2010 season, allowing 7 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks... but his Aprils are often messy.
Price is 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA in three starts against Boston. He's been solid all season, but his last start was a mediocre one: 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 5 K, ND vs Oakland.
On July 7th, Price was brilliant in a start against Boston, throwing 7 2/3 innings and holding the Red Sox to 2 runs. He did allow 8 hits along the way, but he also struck out 10. Price is 7-1 with a 2.81 at home this season, so that will only make things harder on the Sox...
Both Price and Lester are lefties, so here's a look at how the Sox and Rays handle southpaws:
Boston: .270 BA (6th), .806 OPS (T-1st), 179 R (5th)
Tampa: .252 BA (19th), .745 OPS (11th), 206 R (2nd)
Key Matchups
Unfortunately, Kevin Youkilis is our best player against lefties (.404 BA) and against Price (4-10, 2 2B)... so I'm going with Victor Martinez. V-Mart is hitting .402 against southpaws with 14 doubles and 6 ding dongs. He's just 2 for 8 against Price, but one of those hits was a homer.
Also... Adrian Beltre is hitting .395 with 4 doubles, a triple and 2 homers in 43 at-bats against the Rays this year.
Evan Longoria is hitting .331 with 23 doubles and 5 dingers against lefties this season. He's also 7 from 25 (.280) against Lester, but more importantly... he's a .289 hitter against Boston with 11 home runs in 45 games.
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