With eight wins in their last nine games, the Sox return home to host the Royals in the first of four at Fenway Park. Boston is coming off a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays and has won five in a row for the first time in 2010. Wednesday's 11-3 rout featured two home runs and six RBIs by Adrian Beltre.
The opener against Kansas City offers up a chance for Daisuke Matsuzaka to follow up his outstanding outing in Philadelphia on Saturday. He is 2-0 in two starts at Fenway Park.
WHEN AND WHERE
Royals (19-28) at Red Sox (27-21)
Thursday, May 27, 7:10 p.m.
Fenway Park, Boston
HEAD TO HEAD
The Sox are 20-6 at home against the Royals since 2003.
PITCHING MATCHUP
RHP Brian Bannister (3-3, 4.73 ERA) vs. RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-1, 5.76 ERA)
If you have not heard of Daisuke Matsuzaka's last start, you've been living under a rock. The up-and-down righty took a no-hitter two outs into the eighth inning against Philadelphia before settling for eight shutout innings in a 5-0 victory.
The outing featured a catch by Matsuzaka on a line drive to end the seventh, a smash that catcher Jason Varitek said was the hardest hit ball he had ever seen a pitcher snag.
Matsuzaka was coming off a start in Yankee Stadium in which he gave up seven runs and seemingly had communication issues with catcher Victor Martinez. There was speculation after Varitek caught the gem in Philly that he would be catching Matsuzaka going forward, but Martinez's bruised left big toe may make that a moot point.
The 29-year-old Matsuzaka is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two starts against the Royals.
Bannister, who is 0-4 lifetime vs. Boston, has won his last two starts, allowing five runs in 13 1/3 innings. He is 0-3 with 5.68 ERA at Fenway Park.
LINEUPS
| Royals | Red Sox |
|---|---|
|
Scott Podsednik, LF Mike Aviles, SS David DeJesus, RF Billy Butler, 1B Jose Guillen, DH Alberto Callaspo, 3B Mitch Maier, CF Jason Kendall, C Chris Getz, 2B |
Marco Scutaro, SS Dustin Pedroia, 2B David Ortiz, DH Kevin Youkilis, 1B J.D. Drew, RF Adrian Beltre, 3B Jeremy Hermida, LF Jason Varitek, C Bill Hall, CF |
STAT SHEET
Red Sox
- First baseman Kevin Youkilis has 29 walks this month, one shy of matching Carl Yastrzemski's 1971 franchise record for free passes in May.
- Red Sox starters are 7-1 with a 1.60 ERA in their last eight outings.
- Third baseman Adrian Beltre is 16-for-31 (.516) in an eight-game stretch.
Royals
- Kansas City is 1-25 when trailing after eight innings.
- Closer Joakim Soria picked up his 100th career save Wednesday.
- The Royals are 7-5 under new manager Ned Yost.
BLACK AND BLUE
Red Sox
- Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury will be re-examined Thursday by team officials after feeling discomfort in his side. He played three games after coming off the disabled list Saturday but missed the final two games of the Tampa Bay series.
- Catcher Victor Martinez is still considered day-to-day after suffering a contusion on his left big toe in the second inning Monday. X-rays were negative. Martinez sat the next two games but has been given the OK to catch in a pinch.
- Right-hander Josh Beckett, on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain, threw his first side session Tuesday.
- Righty Boof Bonser had a start Saturday night suspended after one inning due to rain.
- Infielder Jed Lowrie, out since mid-March with mono, could return to playing in June.
Royals
- Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt suffered a concussion Tuesday and did not play in the Royals' win over Texas on Wednesday.
- Center fielder Rick Ankiel, who was swinging a hot bat when the Sox and Royals met last month, is on the disabled list with a strained right quadriceps.
- Infielder Josh Fields is on the 60-day DL following right hip surgery.
OUTLOOK
The Royals have been playing better baseball of late, but they are a definitive downgrade from the quality of opponent the Red Sox have faced for the past three weeks.
Boston went 12-7 in a 19-game run that included series with three division leaders and two sets with the New York Yankees. The one thing the Sox must guard against is the old-fashioned letdown after such an impressive stretch of games.
Preventing that from happening falls on the shoulders of Matsuzaka, who has yet to string together two good starts in a row.
