The Red Sox play their final road game in Florida this spring when they visit the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota.
It is the final tune-up for lefty Jon Lester. He is lined up to pitch in the second game of the regular season next Tuesday against the New York Yankees.
Mike Lowell will be making the start at third base for Boston.
WHEN AND WHERE
March 31, 2010, 1:05 p.m.
Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Fla.
RECORDS
Red Sox (13-14)
Orioles (10-16)
HEAD TO HEAD
The teams have split four meetings this spring. The Orioles won the last matchup in Sarasota on Saturday, getting a solid start from David Hernandez in a 6-1 victory.
LINEUPS
Red Sox
Marco Scutaro, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Victor Martinez, C
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
J.D. Drew, RF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Josh Reddick, LF
Che-Hsuan Lin, CF
Orioles
Brian Roberts, 2B
Felix Pie, CF
Nick Markakis, RF
Miguel Tejada, 3B
Nolan Reimold, LF
Luke Scott, DH
Matt Wieters, C
Garrett Atkins, 1B
Cesar Izturis, SS
PITCHING MATCHUP
LHP Jon Lester (0-2, 3.79 ERA) vs. RHP Jason Berken (0-1, 2.84 ERA)
Lester has been getting better with each start and should get in a solid day of work on Wednesday. He allowed just two unearned runs in six innings of a 3-2 win over Toronto on Friday.
Berken is making just his second start of the spring.
STAT SHEET
Red Sox
Add two more RBIs to Tug Hulett‘s team-leading total. He now has 15, six more than anyone else on the team.
Josh Reddick had three more hits on Tuesday against Tampa Bay and is now hitting .404 (21-for-52).
Reliever Scott Atchison threw another scoreless inning on Monday to lower his spring ERA to 1.50.
Orioles
Outfielder Felix Pie is 11-for-28 (.393) with five extra-base hits.
Adam Jones has a team-high five home runs.
Opening Day starter Kevin Millwood has allowed 12 runs on 21 hits in 8 1/3 innings.
BLACK AND BLUE
Red Sox
Minor leaguer Junichi Tazawa has a sprain in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow. He may need surgery.
Boof Bonser will throw in a minor league game on Saturday in Fort Myers as he attempts to work through a groin issue.
Jeremy Hermida has yet to return from a tight right hamstring suffered Saturday in Sarasota.
Orioles
Pitcher Koji Uehara is now expected to start the season on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
OVERHEARD
“I was nervous three days ago. Three days straight.”
–Red Sox pitching prospect Casey Kelly, on getting word on Saturday he would start in a major league game against Tampa Bay
PRESS BOX
Red Sox
More on the Tazawa situation.
One of many reports on Josh Beckett and the Sox getting close to a new deal.
Orioles
David Hernandez nabs the fifth spot in O’s rotation.
Former Red Sox outfielder Joey Gathright signs with the O’s.
MLB
Cover your ears, Roger.
Pete Rose and his girlfriend appear on The Howard Stern Show.
OUTLOOK
Josh Beckett got 94 pitches in his final spring start earlier in the week. Expect Lester to get about the same as the Red Sox finish their Floridian travel.
They have two games at City of Palms Park before heading to Washington to face the Nationals on Saturday and then opening against the Yankees on Sunday night.
