Even though Jacoby Ellsbury‘s hitting streak came to an end Friday night against the Athletics, the Red Sox still walked away victorious for the 58th time this season. The win column is the highest its ever been for Boston before the All-Star Break.
In the last leg of their West Coast fling, the Red Sox are one win away from matching the total number of series wins in 2012. Last season, Boston only put away 20 series wins over the course of the season. At the halfway point of the 2013 season, the Sox sit at 19.
The Red Sox send the same nine from Friday’s game to the plate, and Jon Lester gets the start on the mound. Lester is 8-5 on the year with a 4.60 ERA, and though the numbers are higher than Boston fans are used to seeing from the lefty, the offense has been there to back him up.
The AL West-leading A’s send A.J. Griffin to the mound Saturday night. Griffin has faced Boston before this series, and on April 22 he was chased from the game after just four innings.  He gave up eight hits and nine runs, seven of them earned.
His last time out, however, Griffin gave up just five hits in five innings, enough for his third win of the season.
Oakland Athletics (54-39)
Coco Crisp, DH
Jed Lowrie, SS
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Freiman, 1B
Chris Young, CF
Josh Reddick, RF
Derek Norris, C
Grant Green, 2B
A.J. Griffin RHP
Boston Red Sox (58-37)
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Shane Victorino, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Daniel Nava, LF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Jose Iglesias, SS
Brock Holt, 3B
Jon Lester, LHP
