Heavy Pressure on Jon Lester to Deliver Gem in Toronto
In need of a victory after a difficult three-game sweep at Tampa Bay, the Sox will get their ace on the mound in Jon Lester, who has had great results against the Jays in his career.
Lester, an All-Star for the first time in his career, enters the start ranked among the top three in the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA.
He will be called upon to help Boston turn around its longest skid since a five-game slide back in April. The Sox have won just six of their last 14 games overall and enter the series three games behind the second-place and wild card-leading Rays.
WHEN AND WHERE
Red Sox (49-36) at Blue Jays (43-43)
Thursday, July 9, 7:07 p.m.
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
HEAD TO HEAD
Boston has won five of six meetings this year, including a three-game sweep in Toronto.
PITCHING MATCHUP
LHP Jon Lester (10-3, 2.76 ERA) vs. LHP Ricky Romero (6-5, 3.39 ERA)
Lester was 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA when he entered Toronto on April 28. Seven innings of shutout ball against the Blue Jays began the southpaw's turnaround. He yielded only one hit and struck out a season-high 11 in a 2-0 win and has not looked back since. Including that start, Lester is 10-1 with a 1.92 ERA over a span of 13 outings. The 26-year-old has allowed exactly one run in each of his last three starts.
Lester is 5-3 with a 2.71 ERA in his career against Toronto.
Romero has been nearly as dominant as Lester through portions of the season, but he is coming off a disastrous outing in New York six days ago. The 25-year-old lefty gave up eight runs in just 2 2/3 innings of an 11-3 loss to the Yankees.
Romero, who is 4-1 with a 1.45 ERA at home, has been hit hard by the Sox in his short career. In just 22 1/3 innings over the course of five starts against Boston, Romero has surrendered 19 earned runs on 33 hits and an alarming 18 walks.
LINEUPS
| Red Sox | Blue Jays |
|---|---|
| 1.Marco Scutaro, SS 2. Darnell McDonald, RF 3. David Ortiz, DH 4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B 5. Adrian Beltre, 3B 6. J.D. Drew, RF 7. Mike Cameron, CF 8. Bill Hall, 2B 9. Kevin Cash, C |
1. Fred Lewis, CF 2. Alex Gonzalez, SS 3. Jose Bautista, RF 4. Vernon Wells, CF 5. John Buck, C 6. Aaron Hill, 2B 7. Lyle Overbay, 1B 8. Juan Encarnacion, 3B 9. Jose Molina, DH |
STAT SHEET
Red Sox
- Shortstop Marco Scutaro is 4-for-23 (.174) with no RBIs and no runs scored over his last five games.
- Center fielder Mike Cameron has eight RBIs in his last eight starts.
- The Sox are 13-19 against all of the AL East teams except Toronto.
Blue Jays
- Outfielder Jose Bautista slugged his league-leading 23rd homer Thursday.
- First baseman Lyle Overbay is hitting .357 (10-for-28) in July.
- The Jays lead the majors with 130 home runs, 18 more than Boston, which is in second place in the category.
BLACK AND BLUE
Red Sox
- Kevin Youkilis limped through the finale of the team's series at Tampa Bay due to a right ankle injury. He expects to be OK for Friday's game.
- Josh Beckett threw a four-inning simulated game Tuesday at Tropicana Field. He reported no issues and will start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday.
- Right-hander Clay Buchholz was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a left hamstring strain. The move is retroactive to June 27, the day after he suffered the injury running the bases in San Francisco.
- Jason Varitek (foot) and Manny Delcarmen (forearm) were placed on the 15-day disabled list July 2.
- Second baseman Dustin Pedroia was placed on the 15-day disabled list July 1 with a fracture in his left foot. He suffered the injury when he fouled a ball off his foot the day before. He will not put any weight on the foot for another week or two before being re-examined.
- Catcher Victor Martinez was put on the DL on June 28 with a minimally displaced fracture on the tip of his left thumb, suffered after taking two foul balls off the thumb during a game in San Francisco.
- Outfielder Jeremy Hermida is close to beginning a rehab stint as he works his way back from five broken ribs suffered in a collision with third baseman Adrian Beltre.
- Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is expected to join the team in Toronto to be evaluated by club medical officials. He has been at Athlete's Performance Institute for about a month rehabbing from a broken rib. Ellsbury will continue his rehab with the club's Gulf Coast League affiliate.
- Mike Lowell is eligible to return from the DL on Friday but will likely remain sidelined with a sore right hip.
- Infielder Jed Lowrie has begun a rehab stint with the Lowell Spinners. It was about four months ago when Lowrie came down with mononucleosis.
- Righty Junichi Tazawa underwent Tommy John surgery in March. He is out for the year.
Blue Jays
- Right-hander Shaun Marcum is on the DL with right elbow soreness. He hopes to return after the All-Star break.
- Outfielder Travis Snider hopes to return from a sprained right wrist after the All-Star break.
- Right-hander Dustin McGowan will miss the rest of the season and possibly all of 2011 following right shoulder surgery.
OUTLOOK
If there were ever a game that the Red Sox needed Jon Lester to show up, this is it. With a host of road games still on the horizon and none of the club's injured stars due back until after the All-Star break, there is a dire need for the ace to step up.
There is no reason to think he won't. Lester has allowed one earned run or less in 10 of his last 14 starts.
