Dustin Pedroia is expected back in the lineup and Mike Lowell will likely be out of it when the Red Sox travel to Sarasota to take on the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon.
Pedroia has not played since Tuesday when he injured his left wrist in a game against Minnesota. Lowell was scheduled to get his first set of back-to-back games Friday and Saturday, but he fouled a pitch off his left leg during his first at-bat on Friday and hobbled off the field at City of Palms Park.
Manager Terry Francona said Lowell’s scheduled appearance at designated hitter against the Orioles is not going to happen.
Also featured in the affair is the return to the mound for John Lackey, who has not faced major league hitters since March 17.
WHEN AND WHERE
1:05 p.m. ET, March 27, 2010
Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Fla.
RECORDS
Red Sox (12-12)
Orioles (9-14)
HEAD TO HEAD
The Sox have won two of three meetings. Tim Wakefield sparked a 6-0 shutout in the last get-together on March 20 in Fort Myers.
LINEUPS
Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Victor Martinez, 1B
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Jeremy Hermida, LF
Marco Scutaro, SS
Josh Reddick, RF
Tug Hulett, DH
Dusty Brown, C
Orioles
Felix Pie, LF
Adam Jones, CF
Nick Markakis, RF
Matt Wieters, C
Miguel Tejada, 3B
Garrett Atkins, 1B
Ty Wigginton, DH
Justin Turner, 2B
Cesar Izturis, SS
PITCHING MATCHUP
RHP John Lackey (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP David Hernandez (0-1, 4.50 ERA)
It seems like forever since we’ve seen Lackey on the mound. It’s really only been 10 days, but so much has happened since then.
On Lackey’s end of things, all that has occurred is a four-inning stint at the minor league complex earlier this week. He gave up a home run to a Boston farmhand, the only run he has allowed all spring.
Hernandez will be making his second Grapefruit League start. He has struck out 14 in just 10 innings.
STAT SHEET
Red Sox
Right-fielder J.D. Drew is just 5-for-32 (.156) with two RBIs in 13 games.
Tug Hulett‘s game-winning RBI on Friday gives him a team-high nine for the spring.
Jon Lester has allowed 19 hits and has struck out 19 men in 19 innings.
Orioles
Third baseman Miguel Tejada is hitting .135 (5-for-37) with one RBI.
Of center-fielder Adam Jones‘ 10 hits, four have been home runs and one was a triple.
Projected No. 1 starter Kevin Millwood has allowed 12 runs and an alarming 21 hits in 8 1/3 innings.
BLACK AND BLUE
Red Sox
Lowell’s X-rays were negative, but Francona said the ball Lowell fouled off below his kneecap got “more than bone,” and the way he crumpled to the ground showed how much pain he was in. Lowell will miss at least a day, but likely more.
Pedroia would’ve played Friday, but with some rain in the morning and labor meetings in Red Sox camp, Francona chose to bring him back on a more normal routine.
Pitcher Boof Bonser may get into a minor league game soon. He has a groin issue.
Orioles
Brian Roberts struck out all three times he came to the plate in his spring training debut on Friday night. He is attempting to rebound from a herniated disc in his back.
Pitcher Koji Uehara threw long tosses Thursday. He has been out with a strained left hamstring.
OVERHEARD
“It was kind of a busy day.”
–Francona on Friday, which saw the Sox release one reliever, sign another, make a trade for an infielder, option a pitcher to Triple-A and reassign an outfielder to the minor league camp.
PRESS BOX
Red Sox
Oh yeah, the Sox actually played a game on Friday.
One man wonders why the Giants would part with Kevin Frandsen.
Orioles
Like the Sox, the O’s have a busy Friday with roster moves.
A brotherly front office shake-up for Baltimore.
MLB
A statistical look at the Phil Hughes decision.
Uh-oh, Cliff Lee is being shut down for five days.
OUTLOOK
This will be Lackey’s longest start of the spring, in all likelihood. He will approach 95 pitches and the club would love to see him maintain the dominance he has shown thus far.
In his nine scoreless innings, Lackey has yet to allow a walk and has yielded just five hits.
