Toronto Blue Jays (7-7) @ Boston Red Sox (3-10)
Jesse Litsch (1-0, 2.38) vs. Jon Lester (0-1, 3.72)
1:35 PM EDT | Fenway Park (Boston, Massachusetts)
TV: NESN RADIO: WEEI 850, SBN 1510
INJURY REPORT
Toronto: Rajai Davis, twisted right ankle (placed on 15-day DL 4/11); Frank Francisco, strained right pectoral (placed on 15-day DL 3/30, retroactive to 3/22); Brandon Morrow, inflamed right forearm (placed on 15-day DL 3/30, retroactive to 3/22)
Boston: Matt Albers, strained lat muscle (placed on 15-day DL 4/8, expected to start rehab assignment in AAA-PAW 4/17)
GAME NOTES
After an outstanding game yesterday, it’s great to see Jed Lowrie back in the lineup this afternoon. Facing the righthander Jesse Litsch, he is in the 5 spot following David Ortiz. Carl Crawford is back in the lead-off spot after his day of rest, slightly surprising in my mind, but he does have good career numbers ( 5-for-10, 1.300 OPS) against Jesse Litsch so that probably factored into Terry Francona’s decision. Jon Lester has given the team two straight solid starts but with barely any run support, hopefully today is the offense breaks out in support of him.
LINEUPS
Toronto
Escobar SS
Patterson CF
Bautista RF
Lind 1B
Hill 2B
Arencibia C
Snider DH
Rivera LF
Nix 3B
Boston
Crawford LF
Pedroia 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Youkilis 3B
Ortiz DH
Lowrie SS
Drew RF
Saltalamacchia C
Ellsbury CF
PLAYER OF THE DAY
On April 17, 1934 Fenway Park re-opened following major renovations. One of the most noteworthy changes was the addition of the scoreboard on the leftfield wall, which despite changes over the years, still stands to this day. Roy Johnson started in left that day for the Red Sox making him the first leftfielder to play in front of the scoreboard. Johnson played eleven seasons in the big leagues, four with the Red Sox (1932-35), During his four years in Boston, he had a very respectable .386 on base percentage while regularly finishing among the league leaders in stolen bases.