Jon Lester, Red Sox Have Chance to Complete Quick Sweep of Twins

The up-and-down Red Sox will look to get a winning streak going again when they host the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night in the finale of a quick two-game series.

Since dropping a disastrous game in New York on Monday, the Sox have rebounded to win two straight, the latest behind a dominant outing from Clay Buchholz.

The right-hander lasted into the ninth inning of a 3-2 win Wednesday. He allowed just five hits and walked one against one of the top lineups in the American League.

It's a collection of bats that will test Jon Lester on Thursday. Lester, who has not lost since April 18, will be looking for his third straight win at home. He is opposed by Twins southpaw Francisco Liriano, who threw seven shutout innings to beat the Sox back in April.

WHEN AND WHERE

Twins (24-16) vs. Red Sox (21-20)
Thursday, May 20, 7 p.m.
Fenway Park, Boston

HEAD TO HEAD

Boston is 6-0 at home against Minnesota over the last two seasons.

PITCHING MATCHUP

LHP Francisco Liriano (4-2, 2.63 ERA) vs. LHP Jon Lester (3-2, 3.91 ERA)

There is nobody the Sox want on the mound more than Lester right now. Although he tired late in his last start and allowed a five-run lead to be reduced to two, he has strung together five good starts. Over that span, the southpaw is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA and an American League-high 40 strikeouts.

Lester was the losing pitcher at Minnesota on April 12, allowing four runs in five innings. He is 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA against the Twins in his career.

Liriano has come down to earth following an unreal start to his season, but he remains effective. After going 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his first five starts, Liriano is 0-2 with a 6.00 mark in his last two. However, he struck out seven and walked none in a loss to the New York Yankees the other day and leads the Twins with 46 K's.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Boston has won 14 of the last 18 starts made by Clay Buchholz.
• Designated hitter David Ortiz hit his 325th career home run Wednesday. That ties him with Adam Dunn, Jermaine Dye and Willie Horton for 96th on the all-time list.
• First baseman Kevin Youkilis has reached base safely in each of his last 19 games. He is hitting .367 (22-for-60) in that span.

Twins

• Catcher Joe Mauer has hit safely in eight straight games at Fenway Park, going 13-for-32 (.406) in that stretch.
• The Twins have lost back-to-back games four times this year, but have yet to lose three in a row.
• Liriano had allowed 12 runs in eight innings in his first two career starts against Boston before shutting them down last month.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• Reports surfaced late Wednesday that shortstop Marco Scutaro had a cortisone shot in his left elbow.
• Right-hander Josh Beckett was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a lower-back strain.
• Left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in a rehab game Tuesday with Double-A Portland. He will play Thursday for the Sea Dogs and possibly again Friday. Ellsbury has been on the 15-day disabled list since April 18 with rib injuries.
• Center fielder Mike Cameron, also out since April 18 with an abdominal strain, will play with Ellsbury in the Portland outfield Thursday.
• Righty Boof Bonser allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings Monday in his fifth rehab start for Pawtucket.

Twins

• Shortstop J.J. Hardy is on the DL with a bruised left wrist.
• Right-handed relievers Pat Neshek and Clay Condrey are both on the DL with a finger injury and an elbow injury, respectively.
• Closer Joe Nathan is out for the season after Tommy John surgery.

OUTLOOK

The Sox have scraped themselves off the floor for the umpteenth time this year, winning two straight after what seemed like another low point Monday night in New York.

With three games in Philadelphia and then three more in Tampa Bay coming up, finishing off the Twins would be a big boost.

The Jon Lester who faced Minnesota last month was a different pitcher. So, too, was Liriano. The way both have been trending of late, Boston has a shot at its third series sweep of the season.