After losing two of three to the Yankees over the weekend, the Red Sox opened their season series with the White Sox with a win. The Red Sox took last season’s series 4-3 and have won each of the last six season series since dropping four of six in 2002. Since July 20, 2007, the Red Sox are 12-3 against the White Sox, and 23-9 since Aug. 20, 2004. The Red Sox hold the all-time series advantage at 950-909-22, and are 477-328-4 at Fenway.
When and Where
7:10 p.m. ET (NESN), Aug. 25, 2009
Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.
Records
Red Sox (71-53, 2nd place in AL East)
White Sox (63-62, 2nd place in AL Central)
Skinny
Although Clay Buchholz faltered Monday night, giving up seven earned runs – more than in his last three starts combined – the Red Sox capitalized on their opportunities and on Chicago’s errors for a win. The Red Sox face the White Sox seven more times in their final 38 games this season, more than any other team down the stretch. Monday’s win was a positive first step in preventing Chicago from playing spoiler.
Starting Lineups
| White Sox |
Red Sox |
| Scott Podsednik, DH | Jacoby Ellsbury, CF |
| Gordon Beckham, 3B | Dustin Pedroia, 2B |
| Carlos Quentin, LF | J.D. Drew, RF |
| Paul Konerko, 1B | Kevin Youkilis, 1B |
| Jermaine Dye, RF | David Ortiz, DH |
| A.J. Pierzynski, C | Jason Bay, LF |
| Alex Rios, CF | Mike Lowell, 3B |
| Alexei Ramirez, SS | Jason Varitek, C |
| Jayson Nix, 2B | Alex Gonzalez, SS |
Pitching Matchup
LHP Jon Lester (10-7, 3.58 ERA) vs. RHP Freddy Garcia (0-1, 10.38)
After taking four straight no-decisions, Lester picked up his 10th win of the season in his last start, Aug. 20 at Toronto, going eight innings. He gave up one run in the first inning before going seven scoreless innings. This is his third career start against the White Sox and his first start against them at Fenway. He is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA (six earned urns in 13 innings) in his other two starts. In his last start against the White Sox, Aug. 8, 2008, Lester took the loss, giving up four runs in seven innings. In his only other start against them, July 7, 2006, he earned the win, giving up three runs in six innings.
Garcia is making his second start of the season and first start against the Red Sox since July 8, 2006, at U.S. Cellular Field. In his last start, Aug. 18 against the Royals, he took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. It was his first start since Sept. 29, 2008. In 13 career starts against the Red Sox, Garcia has posted a 6-2 record with a 4.78 ERA (43 earned runs in 81 innings). In six career starts at Fenway he is 3-1 (4.54). In his last start against the Red Sox, he gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings, but did not get a decision.
Stat Sheet
Red Sox
On Sunday, the Red Sox snapped their franchise-best streak of eight games with two or more home runs in a game, one shy of the major league record. They resumed the streak Monday night, and now have multiple homers in 12 of their last 14 games and 18 of 23 since July 31.
Of the AL’s top five batters in two-out RBI, four are Red Sox: Mike Lowell (37), Kevin Youkilis (36), David Ortiz (33) and Jason Bay (33).
David Ortiz has eight straight seasons with 20 or more home runs, including seven seasons with the Sox. He is the sixth player in team history with at least seven 20-homer seasons, joining Ted Williams (10 seasons), Dwight Evans (nine), and Manny Ramirez (eight) as the players with seven or more consecutive 20-homer seasons.
With a third-inning three-run homer Monday, Mike Lowell extended his hitting streak to eight games. He is 10-for-28 in that time. He has hits in 10 of his last 11 games.
Since coming off the disabled list July 17 Lowell is fourth in the AL, batting .361 (35-for-97).
The five home runs Josh Beckett gave up to the Yankees on Sunday night were a career high, making him the third Sox pitcher since 1954 to allow five homers in a game, the first since Tim Wakefield, who gave up six on Aug. 8, 2004, at Detroit. Dennis Eckersley was the last Sox pitcher to give up five in a game to the Yankees, July 1, 1979, at Yankee Stadium.
Jacoby Ellsbury remains tied with Tommy Harper for the team’s single-season stolen base title, with 54. All Ellsbury’s steals have been as a center fielder. The last AL player to record more steals at that position was Brian Hunter with 74 for Detroit in 1997.
In Monday’s game, Clay Buchholz snapped his string of three consecutive quality starts.
The Red Sox' bullpen has retired 70.9 percent (246 of 347) of first batters it has faced and has allowed 31.9 percent (51 of 160) of inherited runners to score.
Takashi Saito has allowed eight of 12 inherited runners (67 percent) of inherited runners to score, most on the staff.
Alex Gonzalez’s three hits Monday matched a season high, which he did twice with Cincinnati in May. His career high for hits in a game is four, which he’s done five times, most recently in July 2007.
White Sox
The White Sox have 94 errors, most in the AL, and a .980 fielding percentage, lowest in the league.
Manager Ozzie Guillen is four wins shy of the 500-win mark, which would tie him for fourth with Jerry Manuel on the White Sox' all-time list.
Jim Thome has 564 career home runs and needs five to tie Rafael Palmeiro for 11th all-time.
With 88, the White Sox have scored more runs in the fifth than any other inning, including three on Monday. At 82, they have allowed more runs in the fourth than any other inning, but held the Sox scoreless in that frame Monday.
Jermaine Dye has 161 career home runs and needs 10 to tie Robin Ventura for sixth on the White Sox' all-time list.
Alex Rios needs two doubles to reach 200 in his career.
The White Sox are 9-9 on Tuesdays.
Gordon Beckham, the AL Rookie of the Month in July, is hitting .326 with 19 doubles, six home runs, and 37 RBIs in his last 52 games. He leads AL Rookies in batting (.291), RBIs (47), on-base percentage (.370), slugging percentage (.462), doubles (22) and extra-base hits (30).
In the last 26 games, the White Sox' bullpen has a 2.10 ERA, lowering its season mark from 4.14 to 3.69, fourth in the AL.
Sixteen of the White Sox' 37 games in the second half have been decided by one run. The Sox are 7-9 in those games. Three of their last four losses have been by one run.
The White Sox have lost 30 games this season after holding a lead. They have had a led in 12 of their last 15 games, 23 of 29, and 29 of 36.
The White Sox are hitting .219 in their last 20 games with runners in scoring position. They are fifth in the AL with a .268 average with runners in scoring position.
Black and Blue
Red Sox
Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 20 with a mild right shoulder strain. He started for the Sox’ Gulf Coast League team in Fort Myers on Monday, going three innings, throwing 37 pitches. He is expected to be at Fenway on Tuesday.
Right-hander Tim Wakefield was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 18 with a lower back strain. He is expected to be activated Wednesday.
First baseman/outfielder Jeff Bailey was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 5 with a left ankle sprain. He began a rehab assignment with the PawSox on Aug. 3.
Catcher George Kottaras is on the 15-day DL with a lower back strain. He is on a rehab stint with the PawSox.
Shortstop Jed Lowrie was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to Aug. 7 with ulnar neuritis of the left wrist. He hit a home run in his rehab assignment with the PawSox on Monday.
White Sox
Right-hander Bartolo Colon has been on the DL since July 25 with a right elbow inflammation.
Infielder Chris Getz has been on the DL since Aug. 12 with a strained right oblique.
Right-hander Jake Peavy has been on the DL since June 13 with a strained right ankle tendon. He is rehabbing with Triple-A Charlotte.
Outfielder DeWayne Wise has been on the DL since Aug. 15 with a strained right AC joint.
This Date in Red Sox History
The Red Sox and Indians split a doubleheader on Aug. 25, 1963, as the teams combined for 44 strikeouts. Bill Monbouquette struck out 11 as the Sox won the first game, and the Indians’ Bob Heffner struck out 12 in the nightcap.
Overheard
“I think everything was good. I felt like I threw a lot of strikes. I walked three batters. Overall, I felt like the performance wasn’t what you want, but the quality of the pitches that I threw for the most part were pretty good I thought.”
— Clay Buchholz on his outing Monday against the White Sox
Press Box
Red Sox
The Red Sox took the series opener from the White Sox.
Daisuke Matsuzaka is getting closer to a return to Boston.
Was John Smoltz tipping his pitches with the Sox?
White Sox
The White Sox had to pay for their errors.
Jake Peavy was hit by a line drive during his rehab start Monday.
Chris Getz is getting close to a rehab assignment.
MLB
Will Pete Rose ever be in the Hall of Fame?
Gary Sheffield is determined to get 3,000 hits.
Jason Giambi joined the Rockies.
Outlook
A strong outing by Jon Lester on Tuesday will do much to shore up what has been a shaky starting pitching corps lately. With 14 hits and eight two-out RBIs on Monday, the Sox' offense has been both strong and timely. Jason Varitek will be back behind the plate to catch Lester.
