Josh Beckett Takes Hill Against Astros, Jacoby Ellsbury Leads Split-Squad Red Sox Against Cardinals

It's extremely early, but Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard have had different experiences so far this spring. The former will attempt to stay the course while the latter looks to have a clean outing when they appear in relief of Josh Beckett against Houston on Tuesday.

Papelbon has thrown two perfect innings in Grapefruit League play, striking out one. Bard, meanwhile, the more effective of the two for much of 2010, has given up four runs on five hits and three walks in just 1 2/3 innings.

The pair will follow Beckett, who is making his first start in nine days after missing one due to a concussion.

The Red Sox are 4-5-1 this spring after a 6-5 win over Baltimore at home Monday. Yamaico Navarro had the game-winning RBI single.

When and Where

Astros vs. Red Sox
1:05 p.m.
City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, Fla.

Pitching matchup

RHP Aneury Rodriguez (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (0-1, 4.50)

Beckett owns a 2.20 ERA in six career starts against Houston in the regular season. Rodriguez, 23, was taken by the Astros in the Rule 5 Draft after time in Colorado and Tampa Bay's system. He was 6-5 with a 3.80 ERA at Triple-A Durham last year.

Lineups

Astros	Red Sox
T.J. Steele, CF Bill Hall, 2B Brian Bogusevic, RF Drew Locke, LF Chris Johnson, 3B Koby Clemens, 1B Tommy Manzella, SS Humberto Quintero, C Jose Carlos Thompson, DH	Ryan Kalish, CF Dustin Pedroia, 2B Carl Crawford, LF J.D. Drew, DH Jed Lowrie, 1B Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C Josh Reddick, RF Nate Spears, 3B Jose Iglesias, SS

Did you know?

The Red Sox travel to Houston on March 30 for their final game of the exhibition season.

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Game 2

Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis are the featured players when the Red Sox make the cross-state trek to Jupiter to take on the Cardinals.

The star trio will be surrounded by mostly minor leaguers as the rest of the regulars are staying home to take on Houston.

Young right-hander Stolmy Pimentel gets the start for Boston. He is scheduled to be followed on the mound by Brandon Duckworth, Jason Rice, Clevelan Santeliz and Tony Pena Jr., although Pena did pitch Monday at home.

When and where

Red Sox vs. Cardinals
1:05 p.m.
Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Fla.

Pitching matchup

RHP Stolmy Pimentel (0-1, 9.00 ERA) vs. LHP Jaime Garcia (0-1, 0.00)

Pimentel gave up two runs in two innings in his first outing of the spring Thursday against Philadelphia. Garcia, 24, was 13-8 with a 2.70 ERA for St. Louis in 2010.

Lineups

Cardinals	Red Sox
	Jacoby Ellsbury, CF Darnell McDonald, LF David Ortiz, DH Kevin Youkilis, 3B Oscar Tejeda, 2B Lars Anderson, 1B Yamaico Navarro, SS Juan Carlos Linares, RF Mark Wagner, C

Cardinals lineup will be posted prior to first pitch.

Did you know?

It has nothing to do with this game, or any game for that matter, but Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester are the latest Red Sox stars to be added to the Charity Wines roster. Proceeds from sales of ChardonClay will benefit The Jimmy Fund. Sales of Lester's CabernAce will help out the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.