Boston Red Sox (18-20) @ New York Yankees (20-16)
Josh Beckett(2-1, 1.99) @ CC Sabathia (3-2, 2.89)
7:10 PM EDT |Yankee Stadium (New York, NY)
TV: FOX RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
INJURY REPORT
New York: Phil Hughes, dead arm (Placed on the 15 day DL on April fifteenth); Eric Chavez, Bruised bone in left foot(Placed on the 15 day DL May 5th); Rafael Soriano, elbow inflammation (Day-to-day, undergoing MRI today); Pedro Feliciano, strained lat muscle(Placed on the 15 day DL before the season began);
Boston:Marco Scutaro, strained left oblique (Placed on the 15 day DL May 8th); Dan Wheeler, strained calf (Placed on the 15 day DL May 5th); Bobby Jenks, bicep soreness (Placed on 15 day DL May 5th, retroactive to May 2nd)
GAME NOTES
Before the season began, many debated which pitcher would get the Opening Day nod, would it be incumbent ace Jon Lester, or would Francona side with sentimentality and choose Beckett? Turns out it wasn’t much of a debate. Not only did Beckett get passed up on Opening Day, he didn’t pitch until the fourth game of the season in Cleveland. Francona claimed he wanted to start Beckett in Cleveland to get his season off to a good start. Of course, that may have backfired as Beckett took the loss. The critics unearthed themselves again. Beckett was finished. His four year contract extension was a terrible idea. Then came that fateful Sunday night at Fenway park. The Sox were 1-7 and needed a win desperately. Beckett took the mound that night and threw eight shutout innings, striking out ten Yankees. He hasn’t looked back since, now carrying a 1.99 ERA with forty strikeouts. Now it comes full circle as he faces the same team and pitcher that got this streak rolling in the first place. That would be the New York Yankees and their own ace, CC Sabathia. As expected, the big lefty has been the Yank’s most consistent pitcher so far, but still has room to improve. He’s posted a 3-2 record with a 2.89 ERA in eight starts this season. He didn’t pitch well in his last start, giving up five runs (three earned) and walking four in six innings against the Rangers. Mike Cameron gets the start tonight in Right Field as J.D. Drew sits against the tough lefty. The Yankee’s have shifted their lineup a bit as well, moving Russell Martin to the six hole and Brett Gardner to the seven spot. Nick Swisher slides down to eighth and Jorge Posada all the way down to nine. After a big win yesterday, the Sox look to run the Yankee’s losing streak to four and creep closer in the Division.
Lineups
Red Sox
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- Adrain Gonzalez, 1B
- Kevin Youkilis, 3B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Jed Lowrie, SS
- Mike Cameron, RF
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Jason Varitek, C
New York
- Derek Jeter, SS
- Curtis Granderson, CF
- Mark Teixiera, 1B
- Alex Rodriguez, 3B
- Robinson Cano, 2B
- Russell Martin, C
- Brett Gardner, LF
- Nick Swisher, RF
- Andruw Jones, DH
*Jorge Posada was a late scratch from the Yankee lineup. Adruw Jones will take his place as the DH and hit ninth.*
Stats
-How has luck factored into Beckett’s streak? Opponent’s BABIP is .211 and his HR/FB rate is down to 6.5% compared to a career rate of 10.9%.
-Sabathia has given up 3 or more runs in half of his starts this season.
-Papelbon’s save last night was his first in the last twenty days.
-Cano against Beckett (59 AB’s): .339/.409/.610 with three home runs and twelve RBI’s.
-Jed Lowrie has a .384 BABIP, good for twelfth in the majors.
-Red Sox catchers have a combined -0.6 WAR.
-Mike Cameron against Sabathia(17 AB’s): .471/.526/.882 with three doubles and two triples.
-Beckett and Sabathia have faced off four times since CC became a Yankee. The Sox are 3-1 in those games.
-Adrian Gonzalez is really good.
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Should be another exciting game this evening. Feel free to discuss it in the comments section. We’d love to hear from you.